Hellevator
by maravelous
Summary: AU; The music was boring, and the décor was tacky. But in the elevator with Mister Hyuuga...well, that was something. — NejiTen
1. Good Morning, Mister Hyuuga

"Good morning, Mister Hyuuga."

That was how everything propelled into action, at 6:00 AM on a fresh early winter Monday.

He looked at me as he pressed the button to the fifth floor. A coffee was held in his hand. He was dressed nicely that morning. Hair pulled back into a ponytail, his perfect build glazed by a simple suit.

We shared an awkward stare for a while, before he turned to the front again and watched the elevator doors hiss shut. "Good morning, um...What was your name?" he said at last.

I tried not to sigh. I'd worked under the man for three years now; he should have known who I was. But he was highly renowned, and well-protected, so I had to show him my respect.

"TenTen," I said simply. "I work for your cousin."

"Oh, Hinata's secretary, that's right," he said.

He didn't look at me once while he spoke.

A smart person would think that he assumed they weren't worth a casual side-glance, but obviously I'm not smart.

I was worth it, I decided that day, so there must have been another reason for Mister Neji Hyuuga to look away from me.

Unfortunately, I was correct.

**Hellevator**  
…**by mara**

I'm an awful person, and I know it. But the question to why I ever decided to mess with _the_ Neji Hyuuga that day will never be answered. I'm extremely instinctual, and I tend not to think before I act.

"Executive assistant."

So the words were out of my mouth before I even knew what they were. Mister Hyuuga turned slowly to cock his head over his shoulder and observe me. His eyes were as dull as usual. "Pardon?" he said unenthusiastically.

"Executive assistant," I repeated, taking care not to look away from his eyes for one second. "I prefer to be called an executive assistant."

"…Ah." Mister Hyuuga took a couple more seconds to watch me before turning away from my face again, almost in relief. "Then I apologize for the…misconception."

He then effectively thinned his lips, pressing them shut. He apparently believed the conversation was over. I was comited to prove him wrong.

"The title of 'secretary' sounds very unprofessional," I stated.

He was forced to look at me again, and I knew he was getting tired of it already. I lifted my eyebrows in a patronizing way and said, "Don't you think?"

I understood now that I was treading in very dangerous waters. I was risking a lot; my job, my well-being, maybe more.

But to see his face as he stared at me in bewilderment, his eyes large and his lips parted…

It felt damn good.

"I suppose," he said after a very long pause. This time he didn't look away. Not that he was intrigued. More annoyed than anything.

I stole that moment as an opportunity to make a small observation that I'd been meaning to query to someone about for a while. It was one of those questions that I'd pushed to the back of my mind and saved for a drunken night with an ex-boyfriend on the phone. One of those ideas that was of no use to the world whatsoever, but was saved anyways.

"This music…" I gestured around the elevator with my free hand, the other one tapping the handle of my briefcase. "It's so…" I wrinkled my nose as I concentrated to find the word: "Dull."

I could feel Mister Hyuuga's eyes glued to me, but he did not respond. Possibly because there was no way _to_ respond to that, at least using_ his_ imagination, so I filled in the silence:

"You'd think that on such a slow-moving elevator, that's going all the way up to the fifth and sixth floors of this building, you'd _think_ that it would be a little _livelier_, right?"

I placed a hand delicately on my thigh in disapproval, looking to the side to Mister Hyuuga as if he could possibly share my point. "Might as well entertain us!"

Mister Hyuuga was officially very uncomfortable. But it still wasn't good enough. So I whipped up another one.

"And the décor." I shook my head with a piteous sigh. "_Who_ comes up with a blue carpet with…with red speckles, and pink wallpaper with…What are those,_ yellow_ stripes?"

I let a short laugh escape my lips. "How tacky! What kind of person walks into Home Depot, checks out the wallpaper samples, and points to this one saying '_This_ is what I want in my elevator!' Do you know what I mean?"

I tilted my head back and exhaled sharply. "See, and look!"

He did not look, but I continued all the same.

"Why a mirror on the ceiling of an elevator? Women, we usually bring a mirror around in our purse so we can fix our makeup at a _symmetrical_ angle, but someone obviously thought that people were stupid enough to use a mirror from _above_."

I held up a hand and pointed out to Mister Hyuuga the mirror on the ceiling. "What is the _purpose_ of that?"

Mister Hyuuga, overwhelmed and frustrated, simply said, "Do you have a problem?"

I relaxed and blinked at him. "A problem?" I repeated for myself. "How do you mean? Such as, I need a hospital kind of problem, or I have a problem with _you_?"

Mister Hyuuga paused, then opened his mouth to try to speak, but I interrupted him just as he started. "Because if that's the question, then my answer would be yes, both."

Mister Hyuuga frowned. "Are you implying that you have a problem with _me_?"

I smiled brightly. "As a matter of fact, you're spot on."

The elevator gave a short little _Ding!_ as it lurched to a halt on the fourth floor. I collected my briefcase to me and smiled. "Have a wonderful day, Mister Hyuuga."

I still don't know why I had such a grin on my face as I strode confidently out of the elevator to his nonplussed silence. It might have been because I'd finally said what I'd been meaning to say for a while.

Either way, that day started something in me that I couldn't stop. Not that I minded, anyways.

**Hell**(o)

I don't remember if I actually expected to see him again at the end of the day. I don't think I did. I don't think I was even looking forward to seeing him. All I know is that as soon as I saw him standing there in the back of the elevator, I was not as surprised to see him as I should have been.

I walked over and heard him heave an enormous sigh at the sight of me.

I thinned my lips and pressed the button to the ground floor, then muttered, "And there it is."

I said it quietly, almost in a whisper, but I purposefully made it loud enough for him to hear it, and he did.

Obviously regretting doing so, he inquired exasperatedly "Did you say something?"

"Hm?" I hummed loudly.

Mister Hyuuga turned to stare at me with increased frustration. I examined my nails with deep concern, and he turned to the elevator doors to watch them slide closed and said, "Never mind."

Then, he let out another long, exaggerated sigh, and I immediately flung my hand down and said, as if to myself but definitely making sure he could hear, "There it is _again_!"

"I'm sorry, but what is wrong with you?" Mister Hyuuga asked, finally submitting. I felt a profound, tingling sense of satisfaction when he glared at me.

"What do you mean what's wrong with me?" I asked innocently. "I'm just stating the obvious."

"What's so obvious? What are you even talking about?" Mister Hyuuga demanded as subtly as he could. "You admitted it earlier, you have a problem. More to the point, a problem with _me_."

"Now I don't think you're being fair," I said, frowning and placing my hand on my hip. "Getting all upset like that."

"Why on earth should I _not_ be upset?"

"_You_ seem to have a problem with _me_, as well," I pointed out reasonably.

Mister Hyuuga stared at me for a while. The elevator hissed on, filling the silence, 'till he finally closed his eyes patiently, and opened them once again to say very slowly, in a kindly controlled voice, "Fine. May I be so…_bold_ as to ask what your problem…with me…is?"

I smiled. "There's a kind fellow." He glowered. "I could say that your little noise earlier is a perfect example of my problem…with you."

"What noise?"

"That _dreadful_ sigh that escaped your soft, luscious lips a couple seconds ago," I said quite seriously.

He raised an eyebrow at the two adjectives, but I went on without hesitation.

"That _heartfelt_ little _moan _that I bet would send many girls _reeling _in their most orgasmic of dreams."

His lips parted with his perplexity.

"I heard it, and I didn't like it one bit, Mister Hyuuga."

He was giving me a look like I was something foreign. And to tell the truth, I loved it. I loved every bit of it.

"So…when I sighed…" he managed to say at last after a few seconds of—most likely—sorting out the excess words I'd bravely sprinkled in, "…That was what bothered you…? That's…_all_…?"

I took the liberty of unwaveringly glaring up at him. "No," I snapped. "That is not _all_. What's _all _is the question as to how someone as handsome as you can be so stupid."

He blinked in surprise.

"I mean, honestly, how can you _not_ remember me? And that _attitude_ of yours, you're like a child!"

He tilted his head to the side.

"I've worked for your family for three years, you've seen me around the office, and every time I see you I say the same thing; 'Good morning, Mister Hyuuga; Good afternoon, Mister Hyuuga; Good night, Mister Hyuuga', every single time."

"Well how am I supposed to remember everyone that says something like that to me?" Mister Hyuuga said, placing a hand to his forehead in frustration.

"You can remember _me_ at least—"

"—Why are you so _angry_ about this? I don't _have _to remember you if I don't want to." Mister Hyuuga shook his head and said — well, I still can't believe he said it, but he did — he said:

"If _you_ can't remember _my_ first name, why should I remember yours?"

I paused in surprise. He froze as well, seeming to realize what he'd just said.

Now, I suppose I'm not completely mental. I'm a tiny bit smart. Because as he quickly looked away from me and stared determinedly at the buttons in front of him, as the elevator shuddered to a squeaky halt on the first floor, everything clicked into place, and I felt myself smile.

"Alright, then. Let's make a deal," I said as Mister Hyuuga collected his briefcase. "I'll call you by your first name. And you'll call me be mine. And we'll both remember from now on, yes?"

He turned to face me one more time. This time, I didn't let him look away. I made certain that my eyes were glued to his. The elevator doors glided open, and he said, "Can you remind me of the details, then?"

"You'll call me TenTen," I said obediently, then:

"And I'll call you Neji."

The elevator let out a loud dinging noise. The doors gleamed in the lamplight from the long hallway Mister Hyuuga was about to walk out into.

He thinned his lips, and nodded. "…Fine."

I grinned. "Fine. Then you'd better get going, beautiful."

I waved him towards the open doors which were impatiently waiting for him.

"Good night, Neji."

"…Good night."

That was the first day I'd experienced it. Sure, the music was boring, the décor was tacky, and the atmosphere was awkward. But in the elevator with Mister Hyuuga—I mean, Neji—well, that was something.

* * *

Please don't ask me why I have to post so much bullshit. If you do, I will have no answer for you other than I _had_ to do this.  
IMO, this is the best character I've ever made TenTen into, and I sort of absolutely love it;; I'm basically having a Tentengasm. It's amazing. (:


	2. How did you know I like my coffee black?

It was an experiment, I promised myself, a simple social experiment that would set my troubled mind in a stable position, contrary to its current rocking about.

I was still set on wondering about Mister Hyuuga…or, as I was now accustomed to calling him after a dream as particularly amusing as it was arousing, _Neji_.

And so, because I was nonetheless expecting to see him again since our change in time tables, I needed a conversation piece. A topic to discuss.

And, as always in the typical office environment, that was a coffee.

I figured he would like his coffee black. So, a simple coffee from Tim Horton's it was, with the lid off.

Nothing special, just something that said, "Good morning Neji, so randomly enough I was thinking about you while visiting the coffee shop downstairs, but you're not a particularly exciting thing to think about, however deliciously eye-appealing you are, so here's a coffee."

And that…that is exactly how I greeted Neji as he stepped into the elevator a short minute later.

Which says a lot about the limits of my self-control.

**Hellevator**  
…**by mara**

Surprising as it was, Neji didn't seem too shocked when he contemplated the coffee I held out to him casually after my little rant.

I expect he was just a little too used to it by then, and maybe it threw him off guard, but he was apparently expecting something similar to the scenario already, and just took the coffee as if there was nothing better to do with his time.

He watched me smile, gracious at his calm acceptance of the small gift, and said warily, "How did you know I like my coffee black?"

That put a scowl on my face automatically. It didn't hurt my feelings at all, and I honestly wouldn't have cared less if not for the exchange we'd had the day before, but grimacing at his immediate question I deemed would be the best way to further unbalance him.

Next, I quickly thought up an excuse for the face, and then had to hide a grin as I looked away from him and locked my arms behind myself, clutching my purse tightly and trying to seem as angry and disheveled as possible.

I still have to give myself props for this. I'm good, I am really, really good. Terrible, but good at it.

I could feel Neji's eyes on me for a few seconds, before he looked forward at the buttons on the elevator wall. It was obvious he was going over what he'd said, asking himself if he'd used a wrong word or phrased something inappropriately.

But, as predicted, nothing came to his mind, so he looked at me again expectantly, wanting me to answer so I could take the question out of his mind.

But I just kept ignoring him, and to add fuel to the fire, I let out a long, angry sigh, similar to the one I'd used the day before.

Neji narrowed his eyes and cleared his throat. He turned again to the buttons on the wall.

I knew what was going through his mind. He was desperately telling himself that I didn't hear him. That, or it was nothing to worry about, none of his concern.

He may have actually been at peace a few seconds later after constantly telling himself this, if I hadn't thrown him the ugliest look I could muster.

And there was the frustration again, building up inside of him. Confusion fought with pride, and I giggled inwardly as I watched out of the corner of my eye him struggling with his urge to ask me why I was so upset.

Finally, he turned to me angrily, opening his mouth to speak, but the elevator lurched to a halt, and I brightened up immediately.

Neji blinked and said loudly, "…Did I—?"

But the ding of the doors as they slid open interrupted him, and I hurried out of the elevator as quickly as I could, attempting and succeeding at making it obvious that I wasn't really in a hurry but I wanted it to look that way for Neji's sake.

I hid my grin, knowing that the rest of his day would be spent in utter confusion and unrest, while mine would be relaxed, and content, and all because of the look in his eyes.

This was way more fun than I'd expected.

**Hell**(o)

It was later that day when Neji first surprised me.

Now, I knew _I _was the unpredictable one, and understood that he'd memorized this concept as well. Maybe he wanted to reach my level, so he could understand me more and put himself at ease once recognizing my motives at last, for when the elevator doors glided open after I was finished with my shift, and when Neji strode in, he stopped walking as soon as he faced me and actually scowled upon recognizing me.

He didn't stand in the corner as usual, he didn't inch away from he. Instead, he faced me head-on, stared me down, and spoke in a firm, controlled tone that actually made me feel a little intimidated, if only briefly:

"Listen," said he, "I will call you Tenten. I will regard your first name. But I am your boss. I am your greatest superior in this particular branch of business, and this means you have to show me the utmost respect. I myself have given you more than you deserve, and I think it only fair that you demonstrate to me a little self-consciousness, agreed?"

I blinked up at him. I remember still the hard look in his eyes. He wasn't angry. Actually, he seemed quite calm, which is really what amazed me. I was driving him up a wall, and instead of blatantly ignoring me, he faced his problem and struck it down with words simple enough to understand, but intelligent enough to consider.

I believe it was then that I realized it. The thought had been crossing my mind for a while, but I really did have an enormous sense of pride in the thought that this soothing, responsible, delightfully professional and, if I may say so myself, sexily enchanting young man was talking to me, so there was only one possible conclusion:

I was most definitely attracted to him, so much so that he made me want to kiss him right then and there. He really did. At that moment, holding back the urge to fling myself into his arms and press my lips into his was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do.

And so when I opened my mouth next, the fact forced my voice to quiver slightly as I uttered, "Agreed."

Neji seemed to notice this shakiness, for he backed down slightly, becoming more gentle with his tone, probably believing that he'd scared me. "I just want to know why you were so un-requisitely upset earlier. I personally found your anger highly uncalled for, I don't know what I could possibly have said to insult you."

Not wanting to be a renegade of my previous attitude, but not wanting to rephrase what I had in mind to be my riposte, I simply shrugged and admitted, "It's not what you _said_, actually, it's what you _didn't _say that offended me."

"What I…didn't say…?" Neji by now had lost his patronizing air completely in his muddle, and his eyes darted upwards to think about it. "…How do you mean…?"

An uninvited smirk flickered across my lips. "You forgot one of the magic words," I said.

Neji glanced down at me. His eyes searched mine, as if soliciting a joke. Finding I was completely serious, he narrowed his eyes. "You're ridiculous," he grumbled, dragging a palm over his face.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

Neji heaved a sigh and ran the hand through his hair. He looked yet again down to me and finally muttered, "_Thank you_ for the coffee. It was wonderful."

I smiled a resurrected grin and said delightedly, "You're very welcome."

Neji stood back to lean against the wall, seeming exhausted at finally realizing what this whole scheme was about. But having one more question on his mind, he stared at me as the elevator halted on the floor I was about to exit onto.

As the doors opened, he queried, "How _did _you know I like my coffee black?"

I paused before exiting and glanced back at him over my shoulder. Giving him a giggle I said, "How did you know I like my men beautiful?"

And with that I scurried away with glee, leaving his next expression a surprise for tomorrow. Because I'd decided that I sure did love surprises from Neji.

* * *

This Tenten is my one, true love. I'm so jealous of Neji right now. Although I suppose being Tenten would be wonderful too.  
I'd be able to look down my own shirt and get a kick out of it, _and _I'd get to gaze at that well-constructed slice of man cake in the elevator every day. Mmm…


	3. Where is your yearly income at?

I do not identify myself as the type of person to become covetous of wealth. I've always been convinced that no matter how much life harasses and beleaguers a person, if they commit themselves to hard, honest work and strong, independent thoughts of optimism, then they will achieve whatever they want in the world.

Of course it was not a benefactor of this idea that Neji Hyuuga had more wealth than I ever had or ever will, and didn't hesitate to make this clear, but I tried not to get riled up about this little fact as he checked his two expensive cell phones at once for business calls and whatnot.

I tried to convince myself that simply because I could hardly afford my morning coffee next to my rent didn't mean he was better than me.

Unfortunately, I had wished for a surprise the day before from Neji, and a surprise I was going to get. And not the kind I was looking forward to.

"Yearly income, Tenten?"

**Hellevator**  
…**by mara**

I gazed at Neji with an appalled expression. "What?"

"What's your yearly income?" he repeated, not flinching once.

My mouth dropped open, mostly because that was what was to be expected when a question so personal and insulting came out of the blue like that, and also because I _was_ shocked. It certainly wasn't in Neji's character to start a conversation like this, and it _certainly_ wasn't in his character to be so _personal_.

Unless I'd read his character wrong.

And so, I played along. Because I _did_ want to know more about this fellow after all, and talking was the best way to do it.

"Oh, I…Well, I…" I coughed, slightly embarrassed. No, I couldn't do this. He was watching me with those condescending eyes, his lips pressed together patiently, his two cell phones glinting in the light, his tie which probably cost about three hundred dollars, not to mention his suit, and his hair, and the products he used in it, oh lord…

"I don't believe that's a very appropriate question to ask someone you barely know," came out of my mouth as I twisted around to stare down at my heels. The words were mushed together and barely audible, so Neji paused for a few seconds to apprehend what I'd just said before giving a little "Hmm?"

I glanced at him timidly out of the corner of my eye. I couldn't believe this. Neji Hyuuga was making _me _feel intimidated? Well, he _was_ my boss, that _should_ have been the proper response from me from the beginning. But how we interacted…we _never_ did what we _should _have done. So why _now_?

"Tenten, you shouldn't be embarrassed. Plenty of people struggle with minimum wage."

"It's not that ba—What?" I whipped around, gasping at him as he stood there, blinking with confusion at my sudden outburst. "You think I get _minimum wage_? I do not! I get $42,340! You should know that being an executive assistant means I am part of one of the largest job categories in the country! There are about 4.3 million jobs for me! I don't work at a restaurant downtown, I'm…"

It took a while. As I was talking, three things were going through my head: What I was going to say next, Neji's slowly growing smug smile of satisfaction, and the fact that I was making a complete fool of myself.

"You made me do that."

"I did not."

"You purposefully got into my head and made me blab it!" I insisted, shaking my head. "You devil!"

"I am not a devil," Neji said, but he had this triumphant smirk that reminded me of an elementary student winning a basketball game. "So. $42,340, hm?"

I groaned and faced forwards, brushing my bangs out of my eyes with contempt. "You evil, _evil_ man."

"Why do you accuse me as such?"

"You're just ravishing in the fact that I don't make as much as you."

"I'm sorry?"

"Oh, don't play games with me. I know it's not as _impressive_ as a CEO's, yes, but that makes me no less of a successful adult than you are! You have no right to look down on me, in fact you should—"

"—If you're about to imply that I look up to you, you're being very silly."

"_Silly_? Take that back!"

"Never." Watching his smile only grow wider I came to the conclusion that he was basking in my humility as if he was bathing in a pool of satisfaction. Expectedly this made me grow even more frustrated, however I desired he no longer feel an essence of schedenfreude, pleasure from my pain, so I forced myself to let out a casual laugh.

"Well I would chastise you on being rude, but you're my boss so I'll refrain from doing so."

"You do know that by saying that you _have_ chastised me for—"

"—I'm very aware, thank you."

"Hmm..." I raised an eyebrow, forcing the snappish retorts back down my throat as he put a finger to his chin and concentrated on whatever little thoughts were flitting around inside his well-groomed head. "$42,340…Well that isn't very impressive at all. I guess that settles it."

I didn't say a word, but a choked sound escaped my mouth as I fisted my skirt. How dare he? What on earth was he trying to prove? Hearing the noises I was grinding out through my teeth, he turned and tilted his head to the side, looking me over. Those eyes…they made me feel like I was under a microscope. He was judging me, giving me a once-over.

The elevator gave out a loud _Ding!_, explaining to us that I had reached my destination. For the first time since I'd began this little experiment, I was excited to get out of there. I knew now how Neji felt, I realized as I grabbed my briefcase and took a step forward, and I did not like it.

Unfortunately, he _did_.

Because then I felt a hand on my shoulder, and time froze.

I'm certain that the first thing I was thinking was wondering whom it belonged to. It was nothing but a hand, that was for sure. But oh, who else's could it be? It was Neji's. Definitely Neji's, it was the warm, strong hand that could _only _be his.

And as soon as I realized it, like a dog that hadn't been fed, I whipped around eagerly, because this could only be a treat. Neji wasn't the usual Neji today.

And I didn't like it. I _loved _it.

So I didn't protest as another hand took my wrist and pulled me gently yet sternly backwards. I stumbled back into the elevator, just in time for the doors to slide close in front of me.

I blinked at him in confusion as he dropped my wrist and faced the doors casually, as if he had done nothing. "Um…" I said. He ignored me, instead focusing his examinations on loosening his watch. I did not feel any annoyance, however. My emotions were clouded by pure excitement and curiosity. What was this? Why had he stopped me from exiting the elevator? Did he want me to come with him somewhere?

Yes, that must have been it. He wanted me to follow him. It was an unspoken order, and I was to agree to it.

So I did. I faced forwards again as well, my briefcase held in front of me tightly as my knuckles gripped it with ferocity, trying to hold down my giddiness and squeeze what was left of it into the pleather bag between my fingers. I pretended, as did Neji, that I wasn't bewildered at all. I found any cares, such as how late I was going to be, and all the work I had to do, had been wiped clean from my mind, and although small remainders of my conscience were snapping at my brain I could only think of him. The warmth that still remained on my shoulder and wrist was invigorating.

The elevator doors opened on Neji's floor. He turned to me and gestured towards them, signaling me to go first. I studied his eyes carefully though. They held anticipation. Not wanting to disappoint these eyes, I obeyed and walked out, and waited for him to as well.

As I did so I looked around. This was Neji's office floor. I'd only been to it two times, to hand him some papers from Hinata the first time, and the other time to help a blind client find his way there. It was a beautiful floor. I stood in a long hallway, the dead end of which being the elevator. The wall on the right was covered in elegant wallpaper, and the other was simply replaced with glass, a long window looking out at the city below. The hallway had only four doors; a storage closet, a large office lounge for some of Neji's clients and co-workers, a small office for one of Neji's secretaries, and at the very end a set of glazed, oak double-doors leading to Neji's office itself, inside which I'd never been.

"Come on," Neji said suddenly. I blinked and looked over at him, and he was already walking down the hallway towards those double-doors. I chewed my lip nervously but followed him quickly, heels pounding on the carpet. As we passed the secretary's office, I noticed the door was open and took a quick peek inside. From what I remembered from last time I'd visited, "Mabui" was written on the outside of the door on a large gold plaque. And there she was in the room, which was surprisingly large for just a secretary's office; mine wasn't nearly as big. She sat behind a great wooden desk, her light bangs blocking her face. As Neji and I passed though, her head snapped up and she said with a smile, "Good morning Mister Hyuuga!"

Neji waved at her simply, and she smiled at him. But as soon as she saw me, her smile fell from her face to be replaced with one of disgusted confusion. I myself was disgusted and confused by the reason for why she made that face, and checked my hair as we walked on past the open door to make sure that there was nothing in it.

But that thought slipped my mind as soon as Neji pushed open the double-doors to his office, and I stepped inside.

Neji's office was a large, round room. The sides were lined with tall filing cabinets, and two desks were in the middle. Three comfortable-looking lounge chairs sat in a half circle in well-constructed view of the desks, and a wheeled swivel-chair was pulled against one of them. And in the far back of the room, the wall was replaced with a gigantic towering window overlooking the city, even larger than the one in the hallway outside the room. I felt myself become overwhelmed. The room was decorated beautifully, a painting hanging on one side, a tall plant in an intricate vase in one corner. He was well-organized as well, folders and office supplies stacked neatly on the gleaming desks.

"I see you like it in here. Good." I blinked, having forgotten for a single moment that Neji even existed. A click behind me indicated he'd closed the doors behind us. With that he proceeded to walk past me and into the middle of the room, sitting in the swivel chair and turning himself around while setting his briefcase on the desk in front of him and opening a laptop with ease.

I slowly and uncertainly walked further into the room, towards one of the desks where he sat. "So…" I said awkwardly, holding my briefcase behind my back and fidgeting.

He looked over his shoulder at me, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

"…Nothing."

His eyes darted over me, as if wondering if I was ill, then he shook his head exasperatedly and turned back to his laptop, opening a file and scrolling through a complicated list of numbers. I watched him, completely baffled but now unwilling to say another word 'till I knew exactly what needed to be said. So instead of running my mouth like I usually did, I stayed still and silent, and just watched him as he worked.

It was, in fact, quite interesting. Albeit not entertaining he was a very smart individual. I'd heard stories of how well he handled business, especially under pressure. And I could see from the way he was writing his emails and closely examining every detail of his lists of numbers, he knew exactly what he was doing.

Feeling a flood of admiration, I veered my eyes elsewhere to make sure I didn't fawn over him _too_ much. But I didn't get a break for long.

"Tenten, do me a favor."

"Huh?" I blabbered stupidly, snapping my attention back to him.

He wasn't looking at me, but his hand reached over his shoulder and gestured towards one of the filing cabinets. "Go get me the folder labeled _Clients_ please."

I narrowed my eyes. Ah. I could see what he was doing now. Trying to establish dominance using unexpected behavior and uninterested orders. Just like I did. Hah. I scoffed and crossed my arms. I sure wasn't about to let _that _happen.

I walked towards him casually, letting myself relax; this was more fun than being bossed around. "Why?" I asked slyly, leaning over his chair to rest a hand on his desk beside his laptop.

He looked up at me, an annoyed expression on his face. "May I remind you I'm your boss?"

"Hinata's my boss."

"Stop playing stupid, I'm _Hinata_'s boss."

"So?" I sighed and leaned my full weight on the desk. "What's this about?"

"You're working for me," Neji said, taking his hands off of the laptop and facing me directly.

"Yes, I know that, you've made your point," I muttered dully. "You do know that it's not very classy to show off your authority, right?"

"Tenten, I mean that you're working for _me_."

"_Yes_, I get it."

"And not for Hinata."

"What?" I blinked, the prodding, silky-smooth atmosphere I'd been using before suddenly gone. I stared at Neji, taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well you're my new secretary now," Neji explained easily. He eyed me and said, "Right?", eyes diving into mine. Those eyes could almost talk to me, saying "Isn't it obvious?"

And it _was_ obvious, wasn't it?

So I stood, and walked over to the filing cabinets to retrieve the folder saying with a smile, "Whatever you say, Neji." I heard him laugh behind me, and wondered how high my income was going to raise.

**I apologize for the late update. College took its toll on me. So did alcohol. In other news, I finally finished the entire plot for this story, and it looks like there will be about 9 more chapters after this one. Hope you're all enjoying it so far.**


	4. Do you want to learn about tea?

Everyone makes a point now and then when speaking of the life of the everyday middle class worker of mentioning "the rut" or "the grind". They refer, of course, to the dreadful feeling of doing the same thing every day, for what seems like it will be forever.

It is indeed that awful of a procedure. I too suffer from the dark cloud of routine, never enjoying driving the same car down the same roads, walking down the same hallway, waving hello to the same Janitor, Naruto, who always skitters around attempting to fix things but only making them worse, standing in the same elevator, and being let out on the same floor to walk into the same office.

But when Neji came into the picture, habit became an ideal of which I was eager to accept. After four days of exciting interrogation and quite a lot of surprises, I found myself the next morning waking up quite stirred by thrill while wondering what he would bring me this time. I suddenly loved my custom of waiting for the elevator to open and greeting Neji with as much enthusiasm as I could muster, listening to him talk, watching his lips move with grace and lusciousness...

Unfortunately, _that_ particular mediocrity was out of the picture today, and it was back to the same old.

As I sat at the same desk in the same office, I glowered at the screen of my computers, my fingers frozen on the keyboard. Why Neji had decided not to take the elevator at the same time as the past four days, I didn't know. But I had to wonder, if it was simply a fantasy of mine. Maybe it was just luck, that I had run into him. Maybe it was just a random quirk to get the stick out of his ass, and now that it was, maybe he was tired of me.

Maybe he was tired of the same old me.

I heaved a sigh. Yes. Things happened. And things ended. That was life. That was how it had always been. It was foolish to hope that would ever change.

"Um…Tenten, you have a visitor…"

And what a fool I am.

**Hellevator**  
…**by mara**

I forced the smile off of my face as I slowly turned my swivel chair around to face the open doorway of my office, although there was no need to see who was there.

I already knew.

Kin, my secretary, looked very flustered at the sight of Neji Hyuuga as he slipped past her, nodding graciously in her direction, to enter my office. "Thank you," he said politely to Kin when he noticed she was still standing there.

She raised an eyebrow and nodded back at him, but when he turned around again I saw her give him a dirty look before slinking off. I smirked a bit; she always had hated him. She confided in me quite often that she just didn't think men should be that pretty. I couldn't help but agree with the statement, but I really didn't mind it.

Neji looked very casual, unlike his usual professional stature. His hands were in his pockets, and he was looking around the room much like he was about to purchase a new house. His eyes lingered on the open window with the plant on the sill, the twin filing cabinets in the corner, the floral patterns on the stuffed chair sitting near the door, and the cabinet next to my desk.

"So," he said, facing me again. I sat very still and silent in my chair, one leg crossed over the other, staring back at him with a tiny smirk still on my face; waiting for what was to come. "This is your office."

"It is," I said back, not moving an inch.

He walked a little closer, noticing as he did so the tea set sitting on top of the cabinet. It was an intricate and very delicate one, with a golden and crimson dragon carved into the handles and ceramic geisha's designed on the sides. He picked up one of the teacups very carefully. "You have a tea set," he observed unnecessarily.

I shook with a small laugh. "I do," I said. "I collect them."

"Oh?"

"Yes, in honor of my heritage," I said, nodding to the Chinese banner hanging on the wall next to my window. While he set down the tea set and gave the banner a once-over I leaned forward slightly, curling my fingers under my chin slyly. "So what are you doing here? Do you want me to move all my things up to _your_ office now? Because I really did think that whole 'secretary' thing was just a bad joke."

"Oh, not a bad joke," Neji said, raising his eyebrow calmly. "But a good joke, yes, I suppose it was."

I allowed myself to laugh again and uncrossed my legs, setting my hands in my lap. "Well that's good to know. Now if you don't mind, I'm very busy working for your cousin. And you, as you so complacently put it yesterday."

Neji narrowed his eyes, smiling equivocally. "Oh, I'm sorry, is telling your boss to get out of your office a custom in China?"

I scoffed. "No, but apparently racism is a custom in America."

"It tends to be, but I don't see any in this circumstance."

"You must be blind, sir."

Neji let out a small chuckle and walked over to the desk. I watched him as he set a hand down on it next to me. "You bothered me quite often yesterday. You assume I'm not going to give you the same gift?"

"So it's a gift now?"

"Always has been. We acknowledge each other's existence, therefore we give each other a gift."

I couldn't help but smile at that. "You have a way with words."

"Speak for yourself." I grinned, and he crossed his arms, leaning against the desk. "To be honest, I came to let you know the job isn't a complete joke."

"Well," I twisted the swivel chair around to face the desk again. "I should be shocked, but you had quite a lot of reasonable excuses yesterday."

"Not excuses," Neji reminded me. I craned me neck over my shoulder to watch the elegant way he pulled his hair from his face. He was looking out the window at the sunlight streaming in as he said, "I still have to wait a month or so until I can view the awaited increase in income. The secretary I have right now is good, but soon I'm going to be sending a few subordinates on business trips overseas, and I'm going to need more help than her." He sighed. "So the offer is still there."

I smiled. "And I would be happy to accept it."

"You wouldn't miss working for Hinata?"

"I love her, but I'm assuming turning down a promotion is not a good idea," I explained with a shrug. Neji nodded with a smirk, understanding, and turned to the side, his hip leaning against the wood of my desk. I tried to keep my eyes away from it, however couldn't help but keep stare. His legs certainly were…impressive…

"So, tea sets." I looked up at his face, snapping myself out of the sudden daze. "How many do you have?" He was looking over his shoulder at the cabinet, seeming very interested.

I leaned back in my chair casually, twirling my hair. "Well that one's my favorite, but I have about four more from China, and about three from Japan."

"Have you ever been to either country?" Neji inquired curiously.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "My mother is the one that brought them back." I glanced at the tea set. "I love tea," I explained contentedly. "I make a cup once a day actually, and a cake to go with it."

"You bake?"

I shrugged. "Yep. I'm pretty good too."

Neji frowned thoughtfully, facing forwards. I noticed a strange little change in his eyes as he said, "Sometimes I wish I could bake or cook. Or even make a cup of tea by myself for once."

I laughed. "You can't even cook?"

He glared gently down at me. "This job is extremely demanding. I have no time to do so, usually a servant prepares my meals for me."

I felt my mouth drop open. "You have _servants_?" I asked in a hushed tone, leaning forward and smiling. I should have expected this from him considering his obvious amount of wealth, but notably he was the first person I'd had a real, casual conversation with that was legitimately, well, upper class. He was a new, exciting find for me.

Neji raised an eyebrow down at me. "I do, a few. It's very hard to cope on my own when I have so little free time."

"You seem to have enough free time to spend talking with me," I reminded him with a sly grin.

He nodded to the side, acknowledging this fact. "I happen to have nothing on my plate today. I just have a few overdue papers that I need to submit, but other than that my schedule is refreshingly open."

"Then why did you even bother coming in?" I asked with a laugh.

"The papers," he repeated. "Plus skipping a day is very bad for my appearance, and this company takes appearance very seriously."

"I noticed," I said, pursing my lips. I sighed when the phone rang and the atmosphere immediately returned to space; space between me and Neji as he straightened up and backed away from me respectively.

It always did bug me that human beings are such territorial creatures…

I checked the number and frowned. "Look who it is, your sister."

"Give her my love."

I blinked in surprise and watched as Neji began to exit the room. He glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. "It seems you don't have my luxury of free time today."

"Seems so…"

"Have a nice day."

I raised an eyebrow and waved him goodbye, answering the phone politely. My eyes did not leave him 'till he was out of sight, and even when speaking with Hinata, going over a few of her meetings for the next couple days, my mind was clouded.

'Give her my love.'

What a strange thing to say…

**Hell**(o)

"Mister Hyuuga, you…have a visitor."

I smiled.

The day was half over. It was lunch, and I'd almost denied my urges. The entire morning I'd sat thinking about one person, and one person only.

And I figured, after I was done with my work for the day and found myself quite bored, that it was time to quench this thirst.

Neji turned around in his chair and stared in surprise as I walked into his office with a warm smile, holding a bag containing two tea cups, a few tea packets and ingredients for the beverages, and a couple cakes.

Neji blinked at me, obviously very bewildered, but waved a hand at Mabui, saying distractedly, "Thank you…"

Mabui exited the room, not before giving me a strange look of course, but I ignored her and turned around to hold the bag out to Neji. "You're having tea and cakes for lunch today," I declared as sweetly as possible.

He stood cautiously, staring at me as I walked over and plopped the bag down on his second desk. "What makes you think that?" he asked slowly.

I turned to him and shrugged. "Well you said you don't know how to make tea."

"Correct."

"Do you want to learn?"

Neji stared at me. His eyes searched mine, as they always did. His face was twisted in concentration and confusion, as it always was.

But those lips, as they always were, were curled in the tiniest, most obscure of smiles as they formed the words, "I'd love to."

* * *

So, I'm totally in love with this story. The flirting is just so much fun to write, and I've never before gotten the chance to explore _characters _so much! They're so quirky. This is brilliant. MUST WRITE MORE.


	5. Will I see you later?

As much as I loved to beset Neji, the next morning when I saw him enter the elevator and nod at me almost respectfully, something that to my pleasure was becoming less of a forced habit and more of a willing gesture, I did not feel the need to badger him. There were more smatterings of preoccupation sitting in my mind, and for what it was worth I didn't have many ideas left with which to confuse him anyways.

So, as the doors slid shut gracefully, I crossed one of my ankles behind the other casually and faced him. "So, about that job."

He glanced at me, and I felt a strong desire to touch his lips as he said with a smirk, "What, no 'good morning'?"

I crossed my arms contemplatively. "I'm starting to think I should make you beg for it."

"Yet _I'm_ the one offering a job."

I grinned. "Good morning."

"Good morning." He watched me for a couple silent seconds as I drummed my fingers on my arms in an expectant fashion. Finally I said slyly, "Are you sure you don't just want me for the cake?"

"You got me," he said sarcastically, smiling as I laughed. He heaved a sigh as the elevator lurched to a stop on his floor, saying distractedly, "Actually, it's kind of silly that I have an entire line of staff to make me a cake when I wish, but no one as…" He paused, and I frowned noticing the way his eyes lost focus. Finally he said softly, "_warm_ as you."

And that's when it came over me. I'm unsure as it what it was. Quite a feeling, though. Like finishing a paper, or reaching the finish line in a race. Something flew off my chest, and there instead was a wash of accomplishment, and happiness.

I had won something, I realized as I gazed, frozen in place, at Neji Hyuuga while he picked up his briefcase and began to exit the elevator.

I got what I wanted.

**Hellevator**  
…**by mara**

My feet moved like they were controlled by magic. My skin tingled as my fingers reached forwards to grasp his arm. They closed around the soft fabric of his jacket, and I got just a whiff of his fantastic scent, like peppermint and evergreen, while I pulled him around to face me. Then the world stopped as his lips pressed into mine.

They were as soft as I thought they'd be. Gentle, and perfect. His breath was cool, not hot and muggy like most men, and his hands didn't fumble once as without hesitation they grasped my chin and the back of my head, pulling me closer.

Our lips pushed back from each other's once, before his enveloped mine again. We moved in perfect rhythm, every noise and every touch in time to our hearts and our whims.

Then after a couple seconds, maybe half a minute, we heard the door, the way of which we were standing, lurching forwards then darting back again impatiently. We parted immediately, almost uncertainly. But as I cleared my throat nervously I couldn't hide the excited grin that had flown to my face. I chewed my lip, trying not to laugh, as I very nervously glanced up at him.

His expression was almost humorous. He seemed confused, but pleased as well. I watched, eyes wide, as he backed very slowly out of the elevator, and then, before either of us could do a thing or say a word, the doors slid shut, and he was cut away from sight.

I stared at the cruel doors in front of me, loathing them temporarily. But at the same time, my heart hammering in my chest told me to finally let out that giggle I'd been holding down for so long. So I did, and it sounded like music.

**Hell**(o)

The world turns so slowly at the worst days.

Every time the phone rang, I snatched it up on the first ring, only to be greeted each time by a harsh middle-aged woman's voice creaking unpleasantly over the line. Every time the door creaked even slightly I whipped around in my chair to see only my assistant, my boss, the janitor, or just a breeze of air conditioning.

My skin was tingling, my heart was fluttering, my fingers were shaking, and I had absolutely _nothing_ to do. I had _never_ been this frustrated in my life.

"Tenten, have you _heard_?"

Thus when I turned to see Kin enter my room I had lost the sparks and simply turned around, hiding my gloom, to tilt my head and blink at her expectantly. I was most certainly not in the mood for gossip but even so it was better than just sitting in front of the computer abhorring and adoring Neji Hyuuga at the same time.

Kin glided over and sat down on my desk, hair flying, to face me with wide, excited eyes, gleaming with the eager fact of new material to purposelessly chatter on about. "Apparently there's a thief working in the building."

I stared at Kin, unabashed and numb but still finding myself slightly interested in the subject. "A thief? How do we know?"

"Things have been going missing," Kin said with a galvanizing smirk. "Like really valuable stuff too. This has been going on for a while now apparently."

"Huh," I said unenthusiastically. "Well, I guess we'll have to be sure to lock our doors from now on, hm?"

"That's not all!" Of course it wasn't. "Ino and Karui were _just_ telling me that one of Hinata's bracelets got stolen!"

I blinked in surprise and sat up a bit, frowning. "Really?" That wasn't good. If it was anything of Hinata's, it was _bound_ to be very valuable.

"Yes! Isn't that awful?" Kin babbled on, seeming encouraged by the fact that I was now fully intrigued. "It must've been really expensive, I feel so bad for the poor thing."

"She's so delicate…" I agreed, tapping my bottom lip anxiously.

"Mhm." Kin heaved a sigh and hopped off my desk. "But, well, life goes on. I have _so_ much work to do." She eyed me, noticing my worried expression, and smiled brightly. "If you're concerned, then I'll tell you how Hinata is when I get back. I'm going to see her right now to drop off a packet."

I blinked and felt my legs thrust me into a standing position. "I'll do it." Kin stared at me in surprise and I coughed. "Um, I have nothing to do today and I'm feeling kinda down. I figure something to get my legs working will help."

Kin laughed. "Really? Thanks. I have so much on my plate, you're really helping me out."

As I accepted her thanks, took the packet and bid her goodbye, my mind was racing. I felt terrible for using Hinata's loss simply as an excuse to get out, but this was an opportunity I could use to my advantage.

She and Neji were close, according to how he'd addressed her yesterday, and anything I did in front of her could always, always hold the possibility of crossing him.

I grinned to myself as I strode down the hallway, heels thumping lightly on the carpet. Impress Hinata, impress Neji. That was how it worked now. And I could _never_ turn down the chance to impress Neji.

Fortunately, of course, I didn't have to wait long…

As I reached the elevator and pressed the button to take me up, I heard the smooth, deep voice I had been desiring to hear every second since I'd seen him last that morning, sending chills dancing down my spine and warmth spilling through my chest.

"Oh? You must be stalking me."

But unlike earlier, I had control as I turned around, I had grace. I faced him with a gleam in my eye. "You wish."

Neji smirked, walking smoothly up to me to stand near the elevator. "And what if I did?" he asked calmly.

I let my eyebrows rise. "What a bold insinuation."

"What a bold reply," he responded, and I grinned. "What are you doing here?" he continued, but politely, with genuine curiosity in his tone.

"I'm going to run these up to Hinata," I explained, holding up the packet. "And you?"

"Had some last-minute business on this floor," he said with a beautiful shrug. "I was just about to return to my office and call someone really quickly."

"Well we just keep bumping into each other it seems."

"It seems."

The doors opened and he gestured for me to go first. I did so, listening to his footsteps as he entered behind me. We stood side by side and waited for the doors to close.

And as soon as they did, he snapped.

I found myself swept up and pressed against the side of the walls of the elevator. A surprised yelp escaped my mouth but it was quickly muffled by his lips. He grasped my wrists tightly, hands warm and gentle, holding them against the wall by my head, and though I twitched once in shock I did not try to escape.

My eyes, before huge and appalled, fluttered shut and I reached around his neck to grab him mercilessly, pulling him closer and moaning deeply as our lips moved sensually against each other's, parting and pressing together again constantly. My heart felt like it was about to escape from my chest, it was hammering so hard against my rib cage. Every movement he made drove me halfway insane. His mouth tasted minty and fresh, and his scent was delicious.

I felt his body pressing against mine and I groaned into his lips, listening as he made a satisfied noise of his own between sloppy kisses. Our breaths came in gasps and our hands were fumbling, grasping each other tightly, tracing each other's faces and tangling in each other's hair. I felt my bun come loose, my chocolate locks tumbling down my shoulders, and he swept it out of the way easily, never stopping his hungry exploration of my lips.

I felt amazing. I felt like I was flying. Every part of my body screamed for Neji, Neji, Neji.

But, of course, the dreaded sound came again. I'd grown accustomed to it, the loud, annoying _Ding_ that raked on my eardrums and told me it was over for today.

We parted gradually, pulling back and letting ourselves breathe. I swallowed and searched Neji's eyes with mine; they never left me. I felt my face heat up and my heart flutter. "Will I…?" My voice broke slightly and I tried again, "Will I see you later?"

He stared at me quietly, a few seconds passed, before he leaned forward to rest his lips at the nape of my neck near my ear. I shivered in pleasure as his breath tickled my skin while he murmured, "Only if you want to."

And with that, he turned around and walked out of the elevator just in time for the doors to let him slip through, then close shut. But not before calling, voice slightly amused, over his shoulder, "I suggest you fix your hair."

I let out a breathless, squeaky laugh in a register five times higher than my voice usually was as the elevator started moving again. Shaking my head, I gasped to myself in a whisper, "Wow."

As I caught my breath, I twirled my hair; I rather liked it down.

**Hell**(o)

"Um, can I help you?"

I tried not to look too peeved as I was stopped short by Mabui's snappish voice. It was three hours later, and I was walking past her open door towards Neji Hyuuga's office when she came seemingly out of nowhere to pause me. I gave her a fake, cheesy smile and said in a honey-sweet voice, "I'm just here to drop a few things off for Neji."

Mabui was unimpressed. She thinned her lips impatiently and swept some of her pale bangs out of her eyes. "_Mister Hyuuga_ is very busy, I'm sure you can just give them to me and I'll take care of it."

"Hinata told me specifically to hand them to him in person," I insisted as kindly as I could.

Mabui looked very put-off, but she gave me an equally fake smile and gestured the way to his office. "Alright then."

I nodded graciously at her and continued on my way down the hall. No, Mabui was not going to stop me from doing this. I was on a mission.

Because I'd realized something.

When I had gotten what I wanted, I had also opened up even _more_ quests for myself. Neji Hyuuga was more of an enigma than I ever could have guessed, and so, although I had won one game, it wasn't over.

He had made that perfectly clear, which meant he knew it as well as I did.

We weren't _ever_ over.

At least not yet. Not as long as there were still things I wanted from him.

And oh, there were.

So when I swung open the door to his office casually, and he turned around to face me, he wasn't very surprised. In fact, it was like he'd been expecting me.

He had the same smile on his face I wore when he'd walked up to me at the elevator. That smile that said, _"Finally. You're here. I knew you were coming."_

But when he stood to face me he wore an amused expression of feigned confusion. "Tenten. How can I help you?"

"I have some papers to deliver to you from Hinata," I said smoothly, giving him a smile.

He eyed my arms. They were empty. Not even my purse was with me. He walked towards me curiously. "And where are the papers?"

I watched as he continued to get closer to me. "Ah, I…must have forgotten them downstairs. I'm sorry."

"Mhm." I tried not to grin as he stood directly in front of me. He leaned closer, and his arm reached past me to close his office doors with a click. His face was inches away from mine. I could almost taste his delicious breath as he murmured, "And what should we do about that?"

I decided at that moment, that words were no good.

We both knew what we were going to do anyways.

* * *

I won't blame you if you're frothing at the mouth by now. There is no shame in drooling over NejiTen, so fapfapfap away. (:


	6. Should we be doing this?

I should've considered myself lucky, I realized, as I stood in the hallway the next morning, waiting for the elevator in a sort of daze. Sex with Neji Hyuuga was not only a fantasy come true, but a situation plenty of women would go to the most drastic measures to achieve.

"Morning."

I swallowed the excited lump in my throat as I nodded almost professionally at my side to Neji, who took a stop in front of the elevator doors next to me. He had a tiny smile on his face that I tried not to laugh at as we faced the elevator together patiently.

As we waited I thought silently, confused with myself. Especially since I am a highly superstitious person, it was odd that I didn't thank a higher power for that evening with Neji in his office, filled with sweat and moans and oh so many delicious secrets.

Remembering them now I glanced at Neji, who, feeling my eyes, met my gaze briefly. The power of his stare almost made me stagger, but as usual I faced him cheerfully and said, "How was your night?"

His smirk grew a bit and with one small chuckle that he tried to hide he faced the wall and shrugged. "Fine," he replied calmly. He paused, then said in a slightly lower tone, "Though I was a bit exhausted."

This time I couldn't hide the giggle, but placed a hand over my lips, mumbling through my muffled laughs, "Uh huh." Neji's slowly spreading smile gleamed in the corner of my eyes.

The ding of the arrival of the elevator caught our attention, and Neji stood aside to let me in first. As we entered and pressed our respective buttons, I decided not to apologize to whatever deities or spirits that were out there for giving myself all the credit. I really was pleased with myself. I'd done it on my own. I'd gotten what I wanted and _more_.

Of course I hadn't really had an idea from the beginning what I'd wanted, even if I was sure I wouldn't be satisfied 'till I got it. But that was exactly how I vowed to live from now on, since I was certainly happy where it got me. To live never knowing what was coming, never knowing what I even wanted to come, but expectant of something great nonetheless.

Never stopping 'till I got it.

We shared another look as the elevator doors slowly started to slide shut, and I believe that he felt the same sudden spark in his fingers and toes and stomach as I did.

Because as I moved at him, he moved even faster.

**Hellevator**  
…**by mara**

I was on fire.

A gasp escaped my lips. Beneath my hazy vision I caught sight of Neji's little smirk as he slid a thumb beneath the hem of my skirt, hooking the edge teasingly before gently rubbing the soft flesh of my thigh.

My stomach contracted impatiently. I could already feel a dampening down south, and groaned aloud into Neji's lips at the frustration as my fingers curled and clenched at his shoulders.

Every part of my skin tingled, from the tips of my toes all the way up to my forehead. I tried to force myself to stay put, but my back arched off the wood of the desk of its own accord. I felt Neji grin slightly as he continued to kiss me, continuing to explore my body with his warm hands.

As if he hadn't before. I almost gave him a bitter pout, but couldn't stop the moan from slipping out when Neji's other hand snaked behind my waist and tightened, so I was forced to buck my hips upwards into his. I suddenly felt a strong desire to make his pants disappear.

"Neji..."

"Mmm...? Neji raised his lust-glazed eyes to mine, and suddenly removed his hand from my thigh, only to pull my hair from my face so we could look at each other properly.

I found myself temporarily at a loss for words at the sight of him hovering above me. His velvety eyes dove into my own, his coffee-brown hair swinging down to frame his perfect oval face.

I opened my mouth, fishing around mindlessly for something meaningful to say to make things move faster, but Neji seemed satisfied with my expression and simply laughed breathlessly, leaning down to capture my lips in his own once again.

Damn, he was good. I contemplated this as our mouths moved together in consummate passion for a few seconds. How many times had he done this? But I found the answer didn't matter as the warmth spreading through my body started growing hotter, and I let my eyelids drop to focus on the luscious taste of Neji's tongue, wrapping around my own hungrily.

He pressed his knee into my upper thigh, earning a frenzied moan from me that I didn't mean to make, and sending maddening ripples of electricity running down the back of my neck.

My desire overwhelmed me. Every part of me screamed for Neji, and Neji _now_. Even as the two of us panted breathlessly in moments of brief frustrated parting to tear our shirts from ourselves, it wasn't enough. It still wasn't enough.

But even so, through the gasps I managed to mumble against his bare shoulder, "Is…Is this alright…?"

"Hmm?" I felt his breath tickling my ear as he paused from licking the nape of my neck. "What do you mean?"

"A…co-worker relationship…?" I somehow was able to say, hardly able to get my mind away from how amazing his smell was, a mixture of peppermint and juniper. "Should we be doing this...?"

"Don't worry about it," Neji murmured against my neck, his hand trailing up to rub my collar bone and pull at my bra straps teasingly. Then I felt his lips smirk against my skin as he whispered in a rumble that threw shivers down my sides, "Besides, I'm your boss. That means you do what I say, and ask questions later."

_Damn_, he was good.

I giggled and wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him even closer to trail kisses down his neck and shoulders. Taking pleasure from his breathy laugh, I murmured slyly as I slid my hand into his pants, "Yes, sir."

**Hell**(o)

"As much as I love your rear end, would you mind not placing it on my work?"

I laughed as I stood up from the papers on the desk I'd taken a seat on. It was noon later that day, and the sun was flooding in through the tall glass windows of Neji's office. As Neji rearranged the papers I'd teasingly wrecked by sitting on them, I glanced over at the other desk. The folders and cases of phone numbers were still on the floor, where Neji had swept them off before putting me in their place…

I grinned at the sight of it, for some reason quite proud. But my observation of this was interrupted when I felt Neji's arm snake around my waist, pulling me down to perch my butt on the arm of his swivel chair. I twisted around and blushed at the way he looked at me; his eyelids half-lowered, gaze focused on my face, scanning my messy hair and the way my shirt hung a little too loose on my figure, a smile curling his lips. Quite obviously, he was also a little proud of something.

I glanced at the papers on his desk and leaned on his arm, surprisingly muscular I knew now, to look at them. "What are you working on?"

He frowned thoughtfully and turned back to the desk. "I'm trying to determine whether or not to give a man a promotion regarding this week's income."

"Huh." I put a finger to my bottom lip as I read over one of the papers. "Can I help?"

"Certainly." He watched me as I grinned and leaned over to pick up a pen and the pad of paper Neji had been scribbling on. "So let's see. You're trying to find the principal first, right?"

"Yes. I'm just applying a regular formula to this one. In this case the amount for two years at six percent is 4,000."

"Ah, I know how to figure this one out," I said excitedly, suddenly eager to impress him. I pointed it out in his equation as I went along: "The amount is always equal to the principal multiplied by the rate times the number of years, plus one. So that gets you…something like 4,000 divided by one or two."

Neji nodded deeply, completely consumed by the work. Unfortunately not consumed by me. As childish as this was I felt a strange twang of jealousy and found my lips pushing forward into a pout. I leaned back to observe Neji as his pencil traced around the answer, and I said a little louder than necessary, "So how is Hinata doing since you talked to her last?"

"Mmm…Fine…" I tried not to glower when he didn't look up from his papers, still lazily tracing numbers with his hand. "She seems to be quite taken with someone though…"

"You mean she's got a crush?" I asked, giggling slightly.

Neji seemed annoyed by the word but shrugged, muttering, "Something like that." I narrowed my eyes when he still didn't look away from the paper, and thought of something to distract him with.

And immediately, that something came to mind, and I snapped my fingers. "Ah! It could be Naruto!"

And, exactly as I'd planned, the pencil dropped from Neji's hand and his head snapped up. "The…janitor?" he asked slowly, still not looking at me but mostly likely only because he was too stunned to move.

I bit my smiling lip to try and keep back the giggles and nodded rapidly. "That's the one. I've actually seen them talking a lot, and they even got each other Christmas presents last year."

"Oh please." I smirked as Neji leaned back in his chair, shaking his head in disbelief. "That means absolutely nothing. Hinata would never try to have a relationship with someone like…him."

I laughed aloud at that. "What, you don't like him?"

"No, I like him, he's very nice. He's just…" Neji frowned thoughtfully, but I knew what was coming so I said for him, amused, "Obnoxious?"

"Exactly, yes." Neji scoffed and turned back to his papers, to my displeasure, muttering, "Really, she would never. She's too timid for someone so loud."

"Well opposites attract, right?"

"Not in this situation. I refuse to believe it."

I raised an eyebrow as Neji, stoic and somewhat disgruntled, continued with his work. Ah. So he was this kind of person. When faced with conflict, he would ignore it. Well, that was what he'd been doing with me from the beginning, I figured I should have expected this.

Nonetheless, I didn't enjoy this sudden lack of attention. He _had_, after all, offered me to stay in his office all day, he might as well entertain me while I'm there.

"So have you heard about things going missing around the offices?"

"Hmm…Not really."

"They say there's a thief."

"Mhm."

"I heard they might start an investigation."

"Mm."

I felt my fingers drumming impatiently on the arm of the chair, my teeth chewing on my bottom lip, 'till finally I could not take it anymore and said with a small pout, "You work too much."

Immediate relief swept over me when Neji automatically looked up and gave me a gentle smile, saying with a laugh, "I'm sorry, did you want more attention?"

I blinked and noticed the little glint in his eyes, then scoffed. "No, of course not. I would never be so childish."

"You just told me I work too much," Neji reminded me, seeming pleased at my embarrassed reaction. He smirked and said, "Well, apparently _you_ don't work _enough_." I cocked my head at this, confused, and he pointed at the problem, saying calmly, "You missed something. There's a regular formula for this that says that the amount is equal to the principal added to the principal multiplied by two years plus the rate."

I squinted and gasped. "Oh, so you'd end up dividing 4,000 by one plus six percent times two."

Neji looked back up at me and raised a brow elegantly, his long hair falling over his shoulder like water. "Exactly," he said, seeming quite impressed with me. I was celebrating inside. "Tenten," I waited as he shifted, resting an arm on the desk to observe me, "Why didn't you go into a job that requires math experience? You're very smart. You don't have to be a secretary."

I blinked in surprise. I figured by now I should have gotten used to him asking such personal questions but it still shocked me that he was so bold as to do so. Whether it was by my influence or not I didn't know if I liked it yet, but for now I figured I would just accept it, and blew some bangs out of my eyes with a sigh while preparing my answer. "Well, I _was _an accountant for Ford before I moved to this company," I admitted, not liking that I had to tell him, "But I was…fired."

I watched Neji's eyebrows raise higher on his forehead, and cringed inwardly as he said with genuine surprise, "Fired? Really now, what for?"

I immediately stiffened. I didn't like where this was heading. I couldn't say it. Not now, especially not in our circumstance. Him, being who he was…

It wasn't a story he needed to hear.

So I put my talent to use; my talent at making any subject I wanted relevant, and others I did not want, irrelevant.

Sometimes I still thank goodness that I have that skill.

"It doesn't matter." I lifted my legs and let my butt fall off the edge of the chair to land into Neji's lap, allowing my legs to recline over his thighs and hang over the arm of the chair. He raised a brow, not resisting though, and placed an arm on my thigh as I said cheerfully, "What _does_ matter is that I _did_ do the equation correctly."

Neji watched curiously, as I pointed at the problem on the paper; "You got 3,500 for your answer; so did I. Both formulas get the same result."

Neji gazed at the paper, a couple seconds ticking by, then let out a small bewildered laugh and brushed back his hair, shaking his head. "Well. Would you look at that."

I grinned, crossing my arms with pride. "There, you see, just because I don't complete a problem exactly as you do doesn't mean I'm wrong."

Neji chuckled under his breath. "You're quite the smug one, aren't you?"

I shrugged. "If I am you're just going to have to get used to me."

I was about to add more to my retort, but I paused as he suddenly leaned in to kiss my neck. My former slyness flew away, and my whole body froze. It wasn't like I didn't enjoy it, and it wasn't like we weren't in the position to follow such urges, but nonetheless I hadn't expected that kiss. Nor the warm, sweet feeling it gave me.

As he pulled back to give me a view of his handsome face again, I felt my cheeks turn pink.

But I smiled, and rested a hand against his chest, enjoying the lowness of his voice as he murmured,

"I think I'm already starting to get used to you."

* * *

Am I going to apologize for the late update? Absolutely not. Going on, lots of BS in this chapter, especially regarding the numbers.  
As such, I apologize to all fans of mathematics. But don't you dare try to teach me how to actually do proper math. I don't _want_ to know.


	7. Is that innuendo?

After two weeks had passed, I decided that I felt like I was dreaming. Not because it was too good to be true, I had high expectations of myself and I sure was exceeding them. No, but if it _was_ a dream, I'd have to commend my imagination, because it was the best I'd ever had.

Two weeks filled with Neji. Two weeks of sneaking into his office, feeling the rush of excitement as we tried not to get caught, two weeks of our secret romance, of laughing at Kin as she wondered constantly about the flowers suspiciously sent down to my office, two weeks of ignoring Mabui who gave me dirty looks every time I passed her office in a rush with the transparent excuse of the need to deliver "papers" to Mister Hyuuga.

This particular morning I'd had to suffer through a weekend, two days of not seeing Neji, so I was feeling quite electrified. This being so, the second Neji stepped into the elevator, I was ready. I swiftly handed him a black coffee, as it had become a norm throughout these weeks, and without hesitation said with the sweetest smile I could muster, "Good morning Neji." Those three words that slipped easily through my lips had been said so many times by now I wouldn't have been surprised if I started catching myself reciting them in my sleep.

Neji didn't seem shocked by my hasty reception. In fact, he embraced the look I gave him with a smile of his own, accepting his coffee cordially. He'd probably been expecting this, probably even been eager to receive it. This only made me happier. "Good morning," he responded politely, pressing the button to the top floor casually. "Did you have a fine weekend?"

"Mediocre, but nothing new," I said honestly with a dainty shrug. Adjusting my skirt almost self-consciously, I added hesitantly, "I'm sorry, but I can't do…_business_ with you today." Neji's brow raised at the word as I went on, "Your sister gave me a lot of work to do."

Neji gave a small laugh, swallowing his scalding coffee with grace. " 'Business'?" He repeated. "Is that innuendo?"

"It is," I agreed with a smirk. "You never know who may be listening."

"The walls?"

"Yes."

**Hellevator**  
…**by mara**

As the elevator hissed on , Neji observed me with an amused gaze on his pretty face. "So you're just automatically going to finish your work, then, hmm?"

"_Yes_," I stressed with a grin, knowing already he was going to try to argue me out of it. That was just so in his nature.

"Well," Neji smiled mischievously. "Maybe I just shouldn't let you go."

I laughed despite myself. "Hey, now. _Who_ was the one who taught you how to make tea?"

He tilted his head in my direction, letting me know I had a point. "You," he admitted. "But it should have been my mother."

I smirked. "Aw. Is she too busy being rich?"

Neji raised a brow. "More like being dead."

The atmosphere immediately lowered. I paused and slowly lost my smile. "Oh…" I chewed my bottom lip. "Mine too." Neji looked over, and I shrugged. "So is my dad. Dead, I mean."

Neji blinked in surprise. "You're an orphan too?"

My eyes widened. "Yes…You?"

"Yes, I have been since I was five." Neji faced the wall of the elevator, making the face he always made when he was thinking. "Huh," he said, half to me and half to himself. "You're an orphan…" He glanced at me. "How long?"

I pulled my bangs out of my face, shrugging my shoulders. "My whole life. I was adopted by my foster mother…who died not too long ago."

Neji's eyes clouded over with thoughtfulness, and his gaze swept over me. "That's terrible…I'm sorry." His shoulders shook with a short laugh as he faced forwards again. "I suppose I was lucky to be taken in by my uncle."

I giggled. "Oh, yes, made you nice and rich."

"Well, there's that."

The elevator lurched to a halt on my floor. Neji collected his briefcase to himself, saying affably "I expect to see you later. Work or not."

I smirked up at him. "Is that an order, boss?"

He chuckled. "It is."

To my surprise, when the doors opened and the elevator dinged, before he walked out he crossed over to me, leaned down, and planted his lips firmly on my forehead. I fought the urge to grab him and kiss him back and only stood there stupidly before he parted, and walked away.

As I watched him retreat down the loneliness of his hallway, and rested the back of my hand against my forehead in confusion, I couldn't help but feel a bubbliness rising in my chest. Well. That was new.

**Hell**(o)

I realized, as I walked down the hallway to Neji's office later that day, a sudden epiphany that had been before clouded by my euphoria.

I was getting far too timid.

Now this wasn't something I was new too. I am actually usually rather shy when faced with authority, because according to my history that is the best way to act professional.

Of course, this was Neji I was talking about. This was the man I'd made _my _personal, well, project! I had no business making him anything less or more than that, did I? It was my self-given duty to make him respect my spontaneity. I wasn't going to back down and respect _him_, now was I?

"Tenten, aren't you going to say hello?"

I shook myself out of my thoughts, looking up to see, in surprise, that I'd been thinking so deeply, that I'd already entered his office, without even knocking. Neji was giving me an amused look from his office desk, and said with a small chuckle in the back of his voice, "It's only polite, you know."

I scoffed, walking over and daintily perching on the edge of his chair next to him. "And since when have I been polite to you?"

"Good point." I grinned as he sighed and leaned back in his chair, giving me more room to sit comfortably next to him. "Working hard today?" I inquired as he glanced down at me.

"As usual, yes," he answered calmly. "But I may as well take a break."

I laughed. "You do know I was telling the truth this morning," I pointed out as I noticed his arm slowly snaking around my waist. "I don't have much time to spend here, I have to get back to my work."

"Well I'm flattered you decided to spend it here," Neji said, half joking half honestly.

I fought my blush and gave a fake pout. "Don't give yourself too much credit. I was _ordered_ after all."

"I was the one to give the order, therefore I think I _should_ get the credit."

"Oh, so sneaky," I declared flirtatiously. He just smiled. I leaned back against the chair as well, looking up my shoulder into his eyes. I admired the way he didn't shy away from my gaze, only returned it with a look just as sly as mine. He really had changed, in only two weeks. "So, what _shall_ we do to pass the time here then?" I asked casually.

He shrugged. "Talk," he suggested.

I nodded, and leaned forward again, lifting up my knee to place my elbow on it comfortably. "Alright, then. I suppose we shouldn't anathematize the conversation…" I paused, thinking, then snapped my fingers and leaned back to smirk at Neji. "Let's play the question game."

Neji chuckled under his breath, saying almost disapprovingly, "And what, _exactly_, is that?"

"I am, _exactly_, not aware." My smile widened at Neji's laugh. "Let's make it up, shall we?" I decided, placing my fist gently in my palm. "I ask a question, you answer it, then you ask a question and I answer it, and so on."

"Alright then." Neji folded his hands on his knees. "And how do we know who the winner is?"

"I suppose whoever doesn't give up first."

"And what is the prize?"

I cracked a smile and leaned in to whisper in his ear:

"Complete control of the other's body."

I took pleasure in the little breath of air that blew by my neck as he gave a soft laugh. "I'll be happy to win."

I grinned. "Challenge accepted." I leaned back and crossed my arms thoughtfully. "I'll start then." I attempted to haggle my brain, but gave up when I realized I couldn't really think of anything clever when I was too focused on the bulge in Neji's pants, and the way his hair fell silkily across his shoulders, and how delicious the sight of the top button of his shirt being undone was to my eyes…So I said whatever floated across the tip of my mind, which wasn't exactly terrible: "What's your favorite color?"

Neji seemed to be suppressing yet another laugh. "Purple, I suppose."

"The color of royalty," I said smoothly, smirking at him. "How fitting of a man of such wealth."

He was unfazed. "My turn," was all he said, shifting so he could get a better look at me. "What's your last name?"

I blinked in surprise. He explained himself quickly; "I understand you're Chinese and it's common for you not to address your last name in the United States. But I'm only curious."

I nodded understandably, and shook my head with a little knowing smile. "Well, that may be true. But I actually don't have one." Neji frowned, seeming surprised, so I continued: "I was adopted from China, and my foster mother chose not to give her last name to me." I laughed slightly and added, "You're not the first to first to be caught off guard by that."

"I can see why," Neji said slowly. He frowned. "Has not having a last name impacted your life at all? Doesn't the government give you trouble because of that?"

I grinned sneakily. "It's my turn to ask the questions, cheater."

Neji paused, then his frown broke into a fleeting smirk. "I am so sorry," he said sarcastically. "I hope you won't dock any points off."

"One-hundred points docked off." I giggled. "What's your favorite animal?"

"Falcon. Answer my last question."

"What last question?"

"Look who's cheating now."

I faked a gasp as Neji smirked, and then I grinned; he was learning fast. Well, I was a good teacher.

I sighed and shrugged, deciding to cooperate, a thing I rarely did with Neji. "Well," I admitted, "In a way, yes, my last name has impacted my life. My teachers always got on my nerves because of it. Some kids teased me when I was in Elementary School because of it, but then again everyone was teased for something when they were a kid. But most of all…" I frowned, my voice fading away. My lips curled into a dreamy smile, and for a moment I was unaware of Neji's pale eyes watching my every move as I said slowly, "I've just always wanted to know what it _feels_ like…"

"…To have a last name?"

I blinked, shaking myself out of my state, and glanced at Neji. "Cheater." He almost glowered, and I went on: "What's your favorite food?"

"Back to the favorites again?"

"If you keep cheating, I'll win by default."

"Rice. Why did you get fired from your last job?"

And the atmosphere, as I remember it, changed immediately.

I sat up slowly, turning to look at him. His face was completely void of emotion, something he was quite good at. Even though his eyes never once left my gaze, it was impossible for me to read them. The only thing I could see was a look about him that made me think that if he _was_ talking he'd be saying, "Go on, then. Tell me."

I really _was_ a good teacher…

I groaned and turned away, unable to bear the way he was looking at me anymore. Shifting in my seat I folded my hands on my lap. I couldn't look at him again. But I was going to say it anyways.

"Don't take this the wrong way," I began, talking quietly as if I was in fear that someone was listening. "It may sound a little…_touchy_, considering our…_situation_—"

"Is that more innuendo?" Neji interrupted, slightly amused.

My shoulders shook with a single, nervous laugh. "Cheater."

"Oh, I apologize, go on."

I sighed, the ghost of a smile lingering on my face, but fading away to be replaced with a tiny grimace of my features. "My boss…" I started, "…was the one to fire me." I folded my arms and said, choosing every word cautiously, "His name was Itachi. He was a really disturbed guy, and he started to get vibes from me that I had…never sent out…" I sensed Neji stiffening next to me. Yes, he was starting to see where this was going. Oh, I wished I could have stopped there. But I kept it up: "Finally, he…asked me a favor that I simply had to refuse. And so…" I swallowed, and finished: "He fired me."

A small silence rang throughout the office. The room which had before been a place I was comfortable in, cheerful and warm, was now suddenly so drafty that I had half a mind to look around for an open window. I finally heard Neji let out a scoff, and dared to turn to look at him.

And he looked furious. My whole body froze at the sight of his face. I had never seen him so angry before, and it actually scared me.

When he spoke, his voice was low, and dangerous, and so frightening that I actually would have preferred it if he was yelling. "Tenten…" he said quietly. "Did he ask you to _sleep _with him?"

I swallowed my fears, and nodded once, but when he opened his mouth furiously, his hands curling into firsts, I grabbed his shoulders and shook my head wildly, saying desperately before he could even begin, "But it's okay, I was going to quit anyways—"

"—I don't care, you know that's _illegal_, do you not?" I winced at the sudden loud volume of his voice, and lowering mine to the volume of almost a whisper I said, "_Yes_, but it's _fine_…It's _fine_, Neji!" I interrupted him when he tried to speak again. "It was a terrible job, I'm proud of standing up to him and not sleeping with him just for that sack of a position. And like I said, I was going to quit anyways…"

I watched as Neji settled back into his chair, not looking at me but at the desk in front of him, obviously trying to hold his anger back. I smiled nervously and mumbled, "Okay?"

He twitched when he heard the shakiness in my voice, and turned to look at me. Probably sensing that he'd scared me, he gave me a lame smile. "Alright, alright." He breathed out slowly, and I too relaxed as I watched him calm himself. "Just do me a favor," he added suddenly, and I looked at him attentively as he gave me a deep glance and said, "Don't mention him again."

I laughed shakily and nodded. "Believe me I won't."

His fists uncurled and I felt my heart skip a beat when he wrapped his arm back around my waist and placed his hand gently on my thigh. His fingers rested on my skin like they belonged there, like they were never meant to leave, and I wouldn't mind if they didn't. He cleared his throat and gave me a half-assed smile. "Your turn."

I blinked, and nodded slowly. Sick of favorites by now, I puckered my lips and concentrated on a different sort of question. The atmosphere had returned, I was noticing suddenly. But it was still different. It was still warm, but no longer that bubbly eagerness from before. This time it was meditative, ruminative and peaceful warmth that didn't bounce about but instead wrapped us together in a mood that I don't think, before then, the two of us had ever experienced, at least not together.

The quietness was still lingering, and it was a good quiet. We had a secret that we were both happy with, but only because it was a secret, and secrets cannot be told.

And so I leaned in, and whispered softly to him, as if the walls had ears, "What is our relationship?"

Our eyes met. And in our gaze we shared the same certainty. He smiled, and leaned in to press his lips to my forehead, just like that morning. And just like that morning a tiny gasp caught in my throat, before he pulled away to lean back, getting himself a good look at me. Still smiling he murmured, "It's the best I've ever had."

My heart throbbed, but I grinned, and crawled into his lap. Pressing my lips to his, I threaded my fingers into his hair and said against his chin once I'd pulled away, "Agreed."

* * *

And there's more fluff where that came from in the next chapter.  
LOL just kidding, actually terrible shit happens in the next chapter. Some sad, terrible shit. :D

Oh yeah, and since you're a NejiTen fan, here's my latest Shameless Self Promotion: **milk tea and pocky, please**  
If you like this, I think you'll like the oneshot. It's filled with NejiTen, and it's perfect if you want a cute, easy read.


	8. Who do you think I am?

Three days later, I woke up and read my horoscope, and it told me to stay home.

I still think I should have. The events of that day did not work out to the best of my standards.

But nonetheless, I ignored the wise advice of the universe and although I rebuked myself for crossing my own superstitious beliefs, I went to work.

However, in the elevator, I started to believe that I really shouldn't have brushed off the words of the stars so lightly. I stood there, almost shaking with my desperation for attention, as Neji ignored me completely, chatting on his cell phone to whom was most likely a client.

Oh, I knew he wasn't ignoring me on purpose. But my lips twisted in a pout as I swung my hips side to side, trying to rid myself of the anxious need for his eyes to be focused on me and only me, as they had for the past couple weeks.

I was about ready to call in sick and go straight home when the elevator lurched to a halt on his floor, but almost miraculously Neji ended the call right there, and immediately turned to me.

And my heart skipped a beat when he gave me a smile that seemed to light the entire elevator up.

As the doors swished open he stuck his briefcase in front of them, making sure they didn't close, and said to me in a voice like velvet, "As you can see, I'm very busy."

I eyed the briefcase in the elevator doors with a small smirk growing on my face. "Yes, I can see that."

"However," Neji stressed with a nod in my direction, "I'm free this afternoon."

"And that's an invitation?"

"That's an invitation." He paused through, frowning, and held up a finger, correcting himself. "Actually, that's an order."

I grinned, and said in a murmur, making sure the hallway the elevator was opened to was clear, "How kinky."

He gave a short laugh at that and shook his head. "Yes, well I expect you to be at my office for lunch."

"Yes sir." I took a tiny step forward and kissed him swiftly on the cheek. "I'll see you then."

He smiled. "See you then."

As he left the elevator, and as I regretfully let him do so, I whispered to myself gleefully, "Horoscope, you lied."

If only I knew how wrong I was.

**Hellevator**  
…**by mara**

"Well look who's joining us today!"

I turned away from the coffee machine in the staff room at the sound of Kin welcoming the newcomer, and smiled at the sight of Hinata entering.

The pale woman gave a friendly smile to both of us, the only other two in the staff room at the moment, and crossed over to the refrigerator. "Hi, how are you two?"

Kin grinned and sat forward in her comfy armchair as I waved cheerfully to Hinata, finishing pouring my cup of coffee. "The question is how are you?" Kin asked, eyes wide and twinkling. "I've been hearing so much about you!"

Hinata seemed to cringe as she removed a water bottle from the fridge. She straightened up as I crossed over to sit next to Kin on an armchair, and she watched the two of us sheepishly. "Heard things?" she repeated, eyes shifty. "Like what sort of things?"

Kin placed her hands delicately on her lap and gasped, "Well that dirty thief for one! Tell us, have they found your bracelet yet?"

Hinata sighed, and shook her head. "Oh, that. No, they haven't found it…I hope they do someday, it was beautiful."

I frowned. "I'm sure they'll find this thief," I told her as reassuringly as I could. "Scumbags like that can't get away with their tricks for long."

Hinata smiled at me weakly, but I could tell she wasn't convinced, poor dear.

She shrugged it off, though, and walked over to sit on the sofa on the other side of the room, facing us and saying shyly, "Well I'm glad that's the only 'thing' you've heard of me. For a second there I thought terrible rumors were spreading around about me. It would have been just like High School…"

"Oh, not _terrible_ rumors…" I said slowly, sharing a look with Kin who giggled behind her manicured fingers.

Hinata's eyes grew wide, and Kin and I, noticing that she seemed to get paler with fear, both shook our hands in the air quickly. "No, no!" Kin cried, giggling nervously. "Really, nothing bad! Me and Tenten have just heard that you have been, well…"

Kin glanced at me for help, and I finished for her, saying cautiously, "Well we just _heard_ that you and a certain Janitor have been…well…" I coughed as Hinata's whole face began to turn red, and finished lamely, "_…mingling_…"

In the time it took to blink, Hinata was up, and out of the room.

Kin and I stared after her in surprised silence for a couple seconds, before we slowly turned to stare at each other, our eyes huge and mirroring the other's. "Well…" Kin said after a while. "That confirms it, doesn't it?"

"It certainly does," I agreed in a murmur, curling a finger to my bottom lip thoughtfully.

Kin sighed. "Hm. I really can't believe she fell for Naruto, of all people. He's kind of pathetic, don't you think? I mean, not really that good of a janitor in the first place."

"Well you can't _choose_ to fall for someone," I reminded Kin with a scolding frown. "I'm sure she can't help herself. Of course I'm also sure that she, too, wishes he were someone of higher standard…"

"Yes, like _Mister Hyuuga_…"

I felt my whole body grow tense at the mention of his name, but forced myself to stay calm, and sipped my coffee as Kin turned her nose up, saying dryly, "I know that you don't approve of my disdain, but I really have to say, he bugs me. He's just so full of it, you know? He's got a stick up his ass that I long to pull out…" She eyed me when I gave her a look and added quickly, "Although not in the literal sense."

I rolled my eyes, swallowing my coffee. "Yes, I'm aware of your hatred for Neji."

"…Neji?"

I blushed immediately. I grew uncomfortable under Kin's sudden stare as she said, a grin slowly spreading along her face, "_Neji_, huh? So you're calling Mister Hyuuga by his first name now?"

I coughed nervously and tried my best to act as casual as possible, shifting myself and muttering, "I just happen to know it's his first name, that's all."

"Really now?" Kin was silent for a moment, observing me and letting me cool down for a couple seconds. Until:

"You haven't been screaming it in ecstasy?"

My face turned red and I gasped, "Kin!" whipping around, sweating bullets, while she giggled ecstatically, clapping her hands together like a child who'd found a bucket of candy.

"Oh, I know, I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself, I had to make that joke!"

I tried not to spill my coffee as I stuttered, "H-How dare you make such an accusation?"

"Okay, alright, I take it back, I'm sorry!" Kin cried, snickering. "But you have to admit, after Hinata it would be just so fun if you, too, were having a secret romance! Especially with Mister Hyuuga, of all people!"

"Of course I'm not, Kin," I sniffed, lying through my teeth as I turned the other way. "Don't be ridiculous."

Because it really was just that, me and Neji, I realized at that moment. Ridiculous, indeed.

**Hell**(o)

"Miss Tenten, um, so what are you doing here _this_ time, if I may ask?"

I heaved a sigh and scurried to a stop, then began walking backwards 'till I could lean into the office of Neji's secretary. Mabui was hurriedly scrambling out from behind her desk, glaring at me snootily.

I gave her a huge, sickly-sweet smile and said in a sunny voice, "Oh, the usual. More paperwork."

Mabui smiled right back, but it was blocked by her angry eyes. "Yes, yes," she said breathlessly, impatiently waving her folded hands in my direction as she strode across her carpeted office floor. "But for the past two weeks there hasn't _been_ any paperwork that I've seen."

"It's digital," I lied quickly, shrugging. "Saving trees is a new fad, you know." I grinned. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have _business_ to take care of."

I purposefully took a moment to enjoy her glower before swinging out of her doorframe and trotting proudly down the rest of the hall towards Neji's office. I'd been waiting for this all morning, and now that it was lunch time, at last I was quite ready for more…"business".

So when Neji answered the door after I knocked three times and waited a total of twelve seconds, I was ready to surprise him. We loved surprises, after all, the two of us.

"Right on time, I'm impre—mph…"

I muffled Neji's words with my mouth as soon as I managed to slide in through the door, shut it, and wrap my arms around his neck. And at first he gladly accepted my lips, and kissed back just as feverishly. But suddenly he seemed to remember something, and gently pushed my face away from his to murmur with a breathy chuckle, "Tenten…"

"Hmm?" I moved my lips distractedly to his neck, not wanting to waste time with idle conversation.

But he laughed and pushed me away from there too, to my disappointment. He looked down at me, pulling my hair from my face and saying, "I actually really just want to have lunch right now."

I blinked at him, then smirked. "Of course you do," I said sarcastically.

Neji gave another laugh and shook his head. "_Yes_, I _do_," he insisted.

I watched his face for signs of his usual playful teasing, but found none, and frowned curiously. "So what _other_ reason would you want me in here for?"

Neji shrugged and said with a smile, "Actually, to invite you to dinner."

I felt my eyes widen. We were both silent, watching each other, me for more signs of a joke, Neji for some sort of reaction. When neither of us found what we were looking for, Neji spoke first: "Are you ill?" he cautiously joked, removing his arms from around my waist to observe me.

I blinked and shook my head slowly, laughing nervously and rubbing the back of my neck. "No, I'm just…I'm confused," I admitted sheepishly.

Neji tilted his head to the side, eyes narrowing. "I'm baffled as to why so," he responded, crossing his arms, seeming a little put-off. "Isn't this considered somewhat…_normal_?"

"Well, yes, but…" I couldn't find the words. I was struggling between two urges; the urge to hug him, and the urge to laugh at him. Hugging him was such strange territory. Laughing at him would have been more convenient, I was used to that.

But I could not react with either choice, because Neji spoke first: "If you're turned off to the idea because it's not exciting enough, think of this:" He folded his hands together in the air and said with a twinkle in his eye, "It's _normal_, which is _new_ for us."

I shook my head, although smiled at the joke. "No, that's not why I didn't expect it, it's just—"

"—You weren't expecting it?" Neji suddenly interrupted. I blinked, and nodded. He frowned. "Why?" he asked, eyeing me. "What _were_ you expecting? Us to keep this up forever?"

I shrugged, biting my lip. "I…I suppose."

"Well this had to have crossed your mind one time or another," Neji insisted, frowning at me. "You should have known we would have to take it to another level, right?" He watched me as I looked away and thought to myself, still fighting my two urges. "Right?" he pushed.

"I…I don't know," I said loudly, shaking my head. He was starting to worry me.

But he didn't stop, just queried, "Well what were you thinking this was, then?" He seemed a little impatient now. "What do you think this _is_?"

"Just…just _sex_ that's all it was, okay?" I finally let slip. "That's all I'm used to!"

And immediately, I regretted it.

I glanced up at him hesitantly, and saw hurt in his eyes. My heart sank, and I coughed, trying to take it back, but before I could he murmured, voice suddenly dark, "You think this is what all bosses do to you?"

My blood ran cold.

I could do or say nothing now. I was helpless to the sudden terrible sound that was in the back of Neji's voice, that sound that could only tell me that I had really, truly hurt him…

"You think I was using you?" Neji continued softly. "You think I'm just like your old boss? You think we're the same?"

I couldn't take that voice anymore, so I managed to stutter, "N-N…No, Neji, I didn't mean—"

"—Then what _did_ you mean, Tenten?" he interrupted me loudly. I cringed in surprise at the sudden anger that had penetrated him, the fire that was lit in his eyes. The look he was giving me almost seemed to make him feel disgust for me. Like he didn't want to look at me at all.

"You said it," he continued, his tone suddenly dangerously quiet. "Which means you were thinking it. No matter what you say you were thinking it, it still crossed your mind, and that…" Neji closed his eyes and shook his head. I felt a shiver run down my spine as he murmured, "Who do you think I am? Do you really think that poorly of me?"

Once more, I didn't know what to say. And Neji, not having the patience for this, turned away, and said that one, awful word that still makes my chest ache when I think of it:

"Leave."

My stomach seemed to turn into a rock. I swallowed, feeling my pulse racing as I realized I'd felt this before. When I got a bad grade in High School, or forgotten to lock the door of my apartment. That feeling of dread.

"N…No, wait, Neji…"

"_Please_ get out."

I realized then, there was no arguing with him.

And so I left. But I wasn't afraid to vow that day to never disobey the stars again.

* * *

Only three chapters left! Don't worry guys, there _will_ be a happy ending. But, as usual, they're going to have to work to get there. ;)  
More Shameless Self-Promotion: **tangerine umbrella**. Another NejiTen oneshot, another really cute one. Check it out!


	9. Why would I be fighting for you?

One of the worst feelings in the world is the feeling that you've traveled back in time.

The next morning in the elevator reminded me of many, many weeks ago when Neji would not look at me. Not once. And here he was again. Not even sparing me a glance.

I felt a strange tightness in my chest. My stomach felt like it had turned into a rock. This was ridiculous. I felt like it never should have happened, like there were so many things I could have done to stop this situation.

But I swallowed my guilt and my pride and faced Neji dead on. I had to get over my fear and just make things right again. I always had been good at that. I could do this one thing.

"Neji—"

"—That's Mister Hyuuga."

Oh. Oh, dear.

I closed my eyes, unable to deny that those words had definitely hurt. That was not a good sign. Not at all. I groaned aloud, not even bothering to hide how upset I was, and opened my eyes again to say timidly, "Come on. Just hear me out?"

He did not respond. He had no expression on his face. It made me realize how much he'd changed since we'd started our little relationship. He had been getting so much more lively. So much more expression, more color in his eyes…

Had that all really gone away?

I swallowed the lump in my throat and said softly, "Can you at least give me a chance to stick up for myself?"

He remained silent, but I decided that he _had _to be listening, he wasn't deaf after all. So I opened my mouth, ready to explain.

But before I could even say a word, the elevator lurched to a halt. I blinked in surprise when he collected his briefcase to himself, and strode through the open doors quickly.

I stared after him, mouth open, and then as the doors slid shut behind him I slapped myself on the forehead. "Bad timing," I hissed to myself.

**Hellevator**  
…**by mara**

"Tenten…? Do you need to take a day off?"

I flinched and slowly swiveled around in my office chair to face Hinata, who was peering timidly in on me through the door. "Uh…Hi, Hinata," I said meekly, giving her a sheepish smile. "Um, no, sorry, I just…I've had a bad day, a lot of things have been happening…"

"Mm…" Hinata sighed and entered the room, saying shyly, "I haven't had the best day either…"

I frowned and watched her as she took a seat casually in the armchair. "What happened?" I asked curiously. It was almost noon, I could just take a lunch break now. Besides, it was nice to distract myself from guilty thoughts of Neji.

Hinata bit her lip and fidgeted with her hands. "I…" she started nervously. "I just wanted to apologize for leaving you and Kin so abruptly yesterday…That was very rude of me…"

I blinked, and laughed consolingly. "It's okay! We shouldn't have brought up such a sensitive subject out of the blue like that. I should be the one apologizing, we were the rude ones."

Hinata shook her head, face slowly turning red. "N-No, it's just…You were right."

I raised a brow, thinking back to the day before. "…About you and…the janitor?"

Hinata's cheeks seemed to glow pink as she hid her face in her curtain of dark hair, stuttering as if it was the most difficult task she could muster, "Y-Y-Y…Y-Y…Y-Y…" I tried not to laugh to spare her some dignity as she continued to stutter, before finally she swallowed and cried in a squeak, "_Yes_!"

I chuckled a bit beneath my breath and crossed the room to put a hand on her shoulder consolingly. "Okay, well that's nice to know," I said as sweetly as I could. "Don't be ashamed, Hinata. Naruto may be a little obnoxious, and he may just be a janitor, but everyone knows he's a nice guy."

Hinata looked up at me, her eyes actually tearing up from the stress of her embarrassment. "B-But, no, he's…He's not just a janitor."

I blinked in surprise. "He's not? Then what is he?"

Hinata gasped suddenly and her hands flew to her lips. Voice muffled by her palms, she squealed, "Oh no! I'm not supposed to say!"

"…What are you talking about, Hinata?" I asked carefully, wondering if my boss was suddenly ill.

She got to her feet slowly, with some help from me of course; her legs were shaking and I feared she may faint. "Um, it's nothing…" she said, pulling her hair from her face and wiping beads of sweat from her forehead. She glanced at me and laughed shakily. "I-I'm actually glad to have gotten that off my chest…!"

I grinned a bit. "Must feel good." I frowned, eyeing her closely. "So what are you going to do about him, then? Will you tell anyone else, or will you keep it a secret."

Hinata smiled a bit through the strain on her face. "You know, I think I don't care who knows now," she said, actually sounding happy now. "I like this feeling. Secrets are no fun."

I couldn't help but smile as well. She was adorable. "That's a great way to look at it, sweetie," I said kindly, patting her arm reassuringly. "Good luck to you in the future then, hm?"

"Thank you for listening!" Hinata said genuinely, nodding to me politely. She held a hand to her chest, apparently calming her heart, and said slightly breathlessly, "So, um…What happened to you today? Why is your day not going well?"

I paused. "Oh…" I fished around for an excuse in my mind, and realized suddenly, that we had something in common. Secrets…

Unfortunately, I wasn't in the place to actually admit mine yet. I had another issue to take care of first…

"I…stubbed my toe."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Excuse me, I have some papers I need to deliver upstairs."

**Hell**(o)

"Ahah!

I almost cursed aloud when I was stopped in the hallway towards Neji's office by, as usual, Mabui. She frowned as she took a stop in front of me and placed her hands on her hips, giving me a stern look. Well, she certainly wasn't even _trying _to be polite today, was she?

"Is there a problem _again_?" I asked impatiently, eyeing the door to Neji's office down the hall over her shoulder.

"Yes, actually," Mabui said loudly, frowning at me. "Mister Hyuuga told me not to let you in."

I felt my body stiffen, like it had turned to stone. My heart seemed to freeze like ice.

"He…" I coughed, noticing my voice was coming out quite hoarse. "He told you that, did he?"

Mabui nodded, seeming proud that she was able to deliver this message at last. "Yes, he did," she said snootily. "So I'm sorry, but you're not to…Hey!"

Ridiculous.

This was _ridiculous_.

"Miss Tenten, where _are_ you going?" Mabui cried crossly after me as I pushed past her. "I told you not to—"

"—If _Mister Hyuuga_ has a message for me," I snapped angrily over my shoulder as I strode down the hallway, "then _Mister Hyuuga_ can tell me _himself_, _to my face_."

I was _not_ going to be dealt this sort of blow. I was _not_ going to be treated like this, not after what we'd gone through.

_Not_ this time.

I didn't even bother being gentle as I pulled on the handles of the doors to Neji's office, ignoring Mabui cursing under her breath as she made her way back into her own office, defeated. I grit my teeth when I found the doors to be locked, but slammed my fist into the wood three times. "Neji!" I snapped. "I know you're in there. Open up, we need to talk."

I heard the sound of footsteps approaching, but they stopped right outside the doors, and his voice said in emotionless, robotic tones, "You are really testing it, Miss Tenten."

I glowered. "Don't you _dare_ call me Miss," I said angrily through the wood. "Open up these doors _now_."

"_I'm_ your boss if I recall," Neji said, voice still lacking any color. "_I_ make the orders, not my subordinates."

"Oh stop it," I growled, rolling my eyes. "This is so stupid, Neji, you're acting like a five-year-old."

"Says the woman pounding and screaming at my doors."

"I'm serious, Neji!"

"I told you, it's Mister Hyuu—"

"—_I _told you to _stop it_!" I cried, unable to contain my anger. "Swallow your pride and just _listen_ to me!" I fisted my hand. "What are you afraid of? Me not caring about you? That's wrong and you know it! If I didn't care about you, why would I be here? Why would I be fighting for you?"

It was silent. A current of hope sprang up in my chest, flitting about. That is, until he said softly, "I suggest you leave before I fire you."

I was crushed. I really was. It felt like my heart had been taken in a fist and squeezed. I actually had to take a step back as I gazed at the doors.

I fought the strange lump in my throat and said breathlessly, my pulse hammering, "Oh, of course." I laughed angrily. "It wouldn't be the first time."

As soon as the words left my lips, I knew they shouldn't have even been thought of.

But that was just my problem, wasn't it? I didn't think before I spoke, or acted.

I suppose I've always had that problem. I still need to work on that…

But at that moment, I _couldn't_ go back in time. As much of a terrible feeling as it was, I actually wanted to. But I couldn't.

Immediately after I made that realization, the doors opened in a sweep. I had to stumble back so I wouldn't be hit with them, then I looked up to be faced with anger.

Yes, Neji was angry again. And not the good kind, like I'd seen so many weeks ago. No, this time he was angrier than I'd ever seen him.

It didn't send shivers of excitement or pleasure down my back, instead they were shivers of actual fear.

In a quiet voice that was uncomfortably controlled, he said darkly, "Don't you dare insinuate that I'm someone as sick as that man."

I opened my mouth, trying to explain that I hadn't meant to, but he continued before I could say a word: "I gave you a promotion. I treated you well, I learned your _name_…" He paused, closing his eyes briefly to say, voice losing its anger suddenly, "_Tenten_."

That nearly killed me. Just the way he said my name in that velvety, smooth voice, the way his lips moved gently when he said it, the emotion in his voice, drove me crazy. My whole body felt cold, then warm, and I could do nothing more than reach forward and grab his hand. "Neji—" I started, my voice aching with desperation.

But he snapped his hand out of my grasp. "For all that," he snapped, suddenly angry again, glaring at me. "You are the first woman I've ever loved. And for all that, you've only repaid me by teaching me how to make tea, and treating me like a horny asshole."

I couldn't believe it. My heart actually stopped beating. "W…Wait, you…" I felt my face heat up as I stuttered, "You…_love_ me?"

Neji's eyes glanced between mine sharply, his cheeks also turning pink. Then he closed his eyes and sighed, looking away from me. "Maybe you're just used to it," he murmured, more to himself than to me. "But this is new for me." He paused, and added quietly. "I didn't expect it to hurt this much."

My lips moved wordlessly as he turned from me and began to walk back into his office. I blinked, and held up a shaking hand, crying, "Neji—!"

But the doors interrupted me by snapping shut.

* * *

Yeah, shit happens. Lalala. Will update soon-ish. Look forward to it.  
More Shameless Self-promotion: **Lucky Gimmick**. It's got NejiTen in it. Take a look~


	10. What did she tell you?

Eggs, sugar, hazelnuts, finely ground, and unsweetened cocoa. Add, of course, some whipped cream on the side. I figured chocolate mousse cake would be a bit more rich than Neji's taste buds were used to, but then again I certainly had my work cut out for me in the first place. So why not go all out on _everything_ while I was at it?

Neji had admitted to me personally that he had no one at home to bake for him, and so cake, to me, was an attempt at making him feel less lonely.

So that was the easy part.

The difficult part was staking out the elevator, waiting for Neji to arrive the next morning so I could give it to him.

More difficult than even I could have imagined.

In what was obviously a selfish retort so that he wouldn't have to see my face, Neji made me wait exactly seventeen minutes before he showed up at the elevator. I even had to call in late to Hinata, who was _right upstairs_, just so I didn't get the chance to miss him. Only because I really wasn't treasuring the idea of having to push past his stingy secretary again.

When he saw me, he didn't say a word. Even as I sprang into the elevator right after him, and stared him down almost eagerly while the doors slid shut, his lips were sealed. But I had been standing for almost twenty minutes, and I was not willing to wait any longer, so I breathlessly said, "Neji, I made you a cake as an apology," and held said pastry out towards him awkwardly, while juggling, mind you, two still steaming-hot coffees in my other hand, and my briefcase, and my purse.

Neji, of course, said nothing. Only looked at me out of the corner of his eye, then rolled those eyes forwards again, as if I was a child that was offering him a dandelion. I groaned aloud and mumbled, shoving the cake uselessly into my purse, "At least take the coffee I bought for you. I can't carry two for this long."

My heart skipped a beat as he suddenly glanced at me and took the cardboard mug I held out to him. My lips turned up slightly as I watched him hopefully hold up the coffee in the air…

…and then let it fall to the ground.

A strangled gasp of shock escaped my lips as I jumped to avoid the splash of boiling hot coffee that sprayed the floor of the elevator in a bubbling, steaming puddle. My wide, surprised eyes moved from the coffee now trickling along the floor, up to Neji, who didn't even give me a second's glance as the doors slid open, squeaking on the coffee, and he left in a gust of air.

As he exited, leaving me alone and absolutely appalled in the elevator, I came to a realization. That the man I'd fallen in love with was a giant, sexually attractive baby.

**Hellevator  
…by mara**

"You _again_?"

I rolled my eyes as I came to a stop in front of Mabui, who had leapt from out from between her office doors the moment the elevator opened on Neji's floor. I humored her and waited patiently as she bounced up to me, sweeping her bangs from her eyes and snapping, "I was told specifically to _not_—"

"—Yeah, yeah, I'm not going to try to get past you today," I interrupted her loudly, although I eyed Neji's closed office doors discretely. "I just came to give you something to pass on to Neji, if you would be so kind."

Mabui looked me over, nose in the air. "I don't think _Mister Hyuuga_ would be very fond of that idea," she said slowly, although she was gazing at what was in my arms, and added tentatively, "What is that, if I may ask?"

I cleared my throat and held it out to her. "A cake," I explained, letting her take the chocolate mousse treat gingerly in her manicured hands. "And a message."

She raised a brow and looked up at me, passing the cake gently back and forth between her fingers. "What message?"

I opened my mouth to tell it to her, but suddenly I realized, that the words were stuck in my throat.

That was odd. My lips drifted shut slowly as I pondered this, unaware that Mabui was staring at me oddly. I was always so good at talking. I knew what to say, when to say it. I always had thought I would have been a damn good lawyer. But wasn't it my silver tongue that got me into this mess in the first place? Just talking. All my life, just asking questions, and answering questions, and never _thinking_ about them. Never really _thinking_ about what the words and sentences and adjectives and nouns really, actually _mean_. At least when _I _say them.

And here I was now. Unable to say anything.

"Miss Tenten, _what_ is the message?"

I looked up at Mabui. "Just…" I said, and found my voice coming out a little croaky. "Just please…" I shook my head, bangs flopping over my eyes, and heaved a shaky sigh before looking back up at her. "Tell him to eat that cake before it spoils," I muttered, and spun around, savoring her last patronizing look as I made my way back into the elevator.

**Hell**(o)

"Good morning, Misses Late," I was greeted cheerfully by Kin as I entered our office.

"Not particularly a good one," I disagreed unenthusiastically, draping my things over my chair as I readied my desk.

Kin eyed me from her chair, turning around to smile pityingly at me. "What's wrong, hunny? Bad traffic?"

"Something like that," I responded, not sparing her a look as I sat down and relaxed for a minute. I glanced at her, and noticed she was staring at me. "…What happened?" I asked automatically, recognizing the spark of a need for gossip in her eyes.

And just as I suspected she swung forward, wheeling her chair over to mine, and leaning over it to whisper to me ecstatically, "Okay so get this!" I smirked a bit at her excitement as she tapped my arm eagerly. "So I just got word that Ino heard from Sakura that Karui saw Hinata hand in hand with _Naruto_ last night, coming out of a restaurant downtown. She said they were both dressed really nicely. Do you know what that means?"

I smiled despite myself, recalling my conversation with Hinata about Naruto the day before, and said with a bit of pride, "Well obviously it means they were on a date."

"Which means we were _right_!" Kin squealed, clapping her hands with mirth. "Oh! But it gets even better!"

"I don't know how that could be possible."

"Well it's on another subject completely," Kin said, rolling her lined eyes and waving her hand. "_Apparently_, the police aren't finding anything with the case of the thief, you know, the one _in this very building_, so, and you never woulda guessed it, _I _heard from Ino, who works with Karui who works for security so she would know this, that the _FBI _is actually involved in the case! So we may have _undercover FBI agents_ working in _this very building_. Isn't that just _thrilling_?"

"It's actually rather intriguing, yes," I admitted honestly, eyebrows raised.

Kin scoffed at me. "_Actually_?" she quoted in disgust. "What a horrid word. As if it's not _obviously_, absolutely _incredible_ news!" She eyed me closely as I nodded slowly, and said, suddenly in a darker tone, "Wait. Something's wrong with you."

I blinked. "Um…No."

"Yes, there _is_ something off about your demeanor," she continued, sitting back in her chair to observe me. "Tenten, why _were_ you late today?"

I paused, before opening my mouth to come up with an excuse…

And there it was again.

I couldn't talk. My tongue felt like it had been super-glued to the roof of my mouth. My throat was trembling, my mind was tumbling. Words, words, words, all spun around in my head like a sickening merry-go-round. Why couldn't I talk? I was so confused. Words were what I was best at. It was why I had every job I'd ever gotten, every relationship I'd ever been in. It was why I was who I was.

Why was that changing?

Finally, the words came out of my mouth that I meant. That I _really_ meant. For the first time, I said the words I _didn't _want to say:

"_OH, FUCK YOU, NEJI!_"

Kin shrunk back in her seat immediately, twitching in shock, as I pounded my arm rest and screamed those words to the heavens. Then I coughed and realized what I'd just done, and slapped a hand over my mouth.

The two of us sat in our swivel chairs, parallel to each other, in silence for about half a minute, just staring at each other. The only sounds were the buzzing of the computer's fans, the ticking of the clock on the wall, and the faint sounds of cars passing in the distance outside the window, mixed in with birdsong and rushing wind.

Finally Kin sat forward awkwardly, and said timidly, as if afraid I was about to spread a deadly disease to her, "Um…Mister Hyuuga?"

I chewed on my bottom lip, glancing back and forth between Kin and the clock on the wall. Still, no excuses could come to my lips. No lies, no cheat codes. I was lost in honesty. Oh, what a fate.

All I could do was nod at her slowly. She looked me over, still very cautious and making sure that not even her knee brushed mine as she scooted her chair backwards just slightly and said slowly, "So, um…What did he _do_, exactly? If I may ask…?" I said nothing, and she sighed. "Well, you know I don't like him, so I may be biased here, but if he said anything harsh to you, it's just in his nature. He's a bit of an ass."

I blinked at her. "No, it's…It's nothing, he did nothing," I shook my head. "It's what _I_ did."

She nodded, although it was obvious she had no clue what I was talking about. "Right," she droned. "Well. How can I help? Would you like me to pass him a message?"

I suddenly straightened up a bit in my chair, seeing an opportunity fly by my eyes. I couldn't say it to Mabui. I most certainly couldn't say it to Neji. But maybe I could say it to a woman like Kin who absolutely abhorred Neji, hated his bones, maybe if it went down the grapevine, he would at least get a taste of what I meant.

"Yes!" I said. I pointed at the door and said, "Kin, I want you to leave and send a message to him immediately!"

Kin stood up, stumbling a bit, surprised at my sudden movements. "Well I'd be glad to. What's the message?" she asked with a small, bewildered laugh.

"Just…J-Just tell him…" I exhaled sharply and snapped, "Tell him I feel the same way!"

Kin raised a brow, but remembering my order to leave right away, she did so, turning to leave the room.

But before she was gone, I added in a shout after her, "And remind him to eat the damn cake!"

**Hell**(o)

"Thank you," I muttered. Two minutes later, and I was spinning back around in my chair as Hinata crossed the room to grab the packets on Kin's desk.

"It's no problem," she said, smiling at me. "I know the look when someone needs Advil."

I laughed and downed the pill that Hinata had handed to me. After swallowing a sip of water from my mug, I turned over my chair and watched as Hinata organized some papers in the packets. "So how about you? Why were you carrying that bottle of pills around?" I smirked a bit and added, "Late night?" slyly.

Hinata's cheeks turned red, as expected, and she nearly dropped the packet. But she smiled through her fear and said as calmly as one can while sweating like a pig, "Um…Yes, actually, I…I went on a date with Naruto."

I smiled at her, although I was slightly concerned that she looked like she'd just run a marathon. "That's great." I paused. "You _are _aware that everyone's been talking about it, right?"

Hinata chewed her lip. "Yes…" she said hesitantly. "I _have_ noticed the whispers and stares…Naruto has as well…"

"…And?" I pressed eagerly.

Hinata shrugged her tiny shoulders daintily, turning one of the papers over in her hand absently as she mumbled, "Well, I don't really mind." She smiled a bit and said in happier tones, "As long as Naruto and I are happy, then I don't think it should matter what anyone else says."

I grinned. "As long as they're saying you're adorable together, then sure!"

Hinata shook her head at me with a pout as I giggled, although I saw the ghost of a laugh appear on her face as she turned to exit the room. "Well I'll be right outside in the hall laminating these if you need me," she said. "See you at lunch."

"See you," I said, watching as she left.

"Oh, excuse me!"

Hinata jumped slightly as Kin swung into the room, a cheerful look on her face. Hinata slipped by her as Kin patted her gently on the arm and entered the room all the way. I waited 'till Hinata was out of earshot to grab Kin viciously by the arm and sweep her over to my desk, where I asked her in hushed tones, "So? What happened, did you send my…_message_?"

Kin gave me a patronizing look while she wrenched her arm out of my fingers. "_Yes_," she said loudly, rolling her eyes. "I gave Mister Hyuuga your very _ominous_ message."

I let out a shaky breath, feeling my skin turn both hot and cold at the same time, nerves both frozen and aflame. "Good, good. Did the secretary give you any trouble?"

Kin frowned, finger to her bottom lip. "The secretary? No, she wasn't there. Probably on an early lunch break, or went to deliver something."

"Oh. You were lucky, then," I said, running my hands along my arms.

Kin eyed me sneakily. "So, what was that message _about_ anyways?" she pried. "Not that it matters, it was such a _vague_ one, I doubt _anyone_ would have understood it."

"Oh, it was nothing, it's just…" I paused as we were interrupted by my phone on my desk ringing. Kin shrugged and went back to her desk to continue on her work while I crossed the room and answered it. "Hello?"

"_I really can't believe you, Tenten."_

My whole abdomen twitched, like I'd had the wind knocked out of me. "Neji?" I managed to choke out quietly, the voice on the phone all too clear to me.

But it was both beautiful and terrible, because although it was his voice, it was stretched in the most furious of emotions.

"_You were just being insensitive before, but this is just ridiculous."_

I blinked in surprise. "Neji…What are you—?"

"—_If you are going to continue to insist on who you think I am, I suggest you do it in the privacy of your own home."_

My heart sank. "W-Wait…Neji, wait, what did Kin tell you?!"

It was too late. The sound of static crinkled as he slammed his phone down. I listened to the silence for a few seconds, before slamming my own down on the desk and swirling around to meet Kin. She was watching me, eyes unable to read. Or maybe I was just too angry to bother to try to read them. I threw myself to my feet, gazing at her accusingly. "Kin!" I cried. "What did you tell him?!"

She blinked at me innocently, but I saw a hint of worry in her face. "Just…Just what _you_ told me, I said what you said to—"

"—Don't lie to _me_, I can see _right_ through that!" I interrupted her impatiently. "What the _hell_ did you say to him?!"

"I told you, what _you_ said!" Kin snapped right back. She paused and added sheepishly, "Just…maybe in different _words_, but the general _message_ came across, just—"

"—Kin!" I slammed one of my heels into the ground, ignoring the pain that shot up my leg as I did so. "I can't believe you, why would you _do_ that?!"

"Well you told me to tell him you feel the same way, and obviously, judging by your '_fuck you Neji_', you really can't stand the bastard, so I gave him a piece of his own—"

"Kin that's not what I _meant_, you stupid _bitch_!"

"Tenten!"

Both of us stopped yelling and turned to gaze at Hinata, who stood in the doorway with an appalled look on her face, hand to her mouth.

I felt my lips flutter shut. Yet again, no excuses came to mind. I could only stare at Hinata as she frowned and strode into the office. "Tenten," she said, voice controlled and vicious. "This is a _workplace_. I will _never_ stand for someone cursing at a co-worker!"

"Uh…N-No I…" I stuttered, voice failing me.

"Hinata…" Kin said timidly. "It's okay, it's my fault, I did something wrong and—"

"—I don't care _what_ happened," Hinata interrupted Kin harshly. "The yelling in here is absolutely _unacceptable. _May I remind you, I am your _boss_. Tenten, I can't believe you would use such language with me around. That's entirely disrespectful!"

"No, Hinata, it's really not her fault!" Kin insisted, glancing between me and our boss with a worried look on her face, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek.

"I really don't care whose fault it is," Hinata snapped. She turned to me dangerously. "Tenten, consider yourself on probation." My jaw dropped, but before I could say anything she pointed out the door, "For now, I suggest you leave and calm yourself down in the ladies room for a few minutes."

"Wh…B-But…" I mumbled.

"Now," Hinata ordered a little louder. "Take a break, Tenten."

**Hell**(o)

I've never been the kind of person to dictate that a particular day could be the worst of my life. Especially since I'd had bad days before. The day I accidentally stabbed a pencil through my palm in Elementary School. The day I was wearing a short skirt and tripped while going up the stairs in High School and all the boys behind me got a good peek at my underwear. The day I failed my first class in college. The day Sai fired me because I wouldn't have sex with him. The day I dared be foolish enough to compare Neji to him.

But no, this could top them all. I actually wouldn't mind, if in some ghastly situation I was forced to choose between today and all those other ones, to re-live the other ones. Today was, by far, the worst. I couldn't imagine it would get worse than that. I couldn't imagine anything could hurt more than what I was hurting right then.

And if it could, then I couldn't see a point in living.

I was jolted out of my thoughts as the elevator in front of my dinged. I jumped, startled, and realized I'd been standing in front of the open doors for far too long, and I darted between them as they tried to close, lurching open again once more as they recognized my movements.

I heaved a sigh as I waited for them to close again. I didn't know what I was going to do. I was now technically on probation, in a lot of trouble with Hinata, who yes, although sweet and a friend of mine, was still most certainly my boss and not afraid to show me that. And now I had no cell phone. For as soon as I'd gotten out of the ladies room and re-entered the empty office, I realized that we'd been robbed.

It turns out I should have listened more closely to what Kin had told me about the thief. I never locked the office doors, and I should have. All my expensive things were stolen, the Chinese banner, the tea pot, the computers, the radio, and of course my money and my cell phone.

I reported this to the janitor, Naruto, as he was passing by, not bothering to even ask him about his relationship with Hinata, and headed out on my way to go home early. Because there really was no point in working anymore, not with no computer, and with no hope, and no focus.

As I re-thought all of this, as the elevator jolted into life and began its slow journey down, the events of the day all began to sink in on me. I realized I was still holding the coffee from this morning. I hadn't had the chance to drink it yet. It was ice cold now. What if Neji were to drink this? He would laugh. That was the kind of thing he thought was funny.

But me crying. I had to wonder, as I registered the tears that fell from my face, if he would find _that_ funny. My chest pounded and my stomach seemed to shrink as a strangled sob escaped my throat. My body shook as I wept, my knuckles white as my fingers wrapped tightly around the handle of my briefcase, my other hand shaking, trying to hold up the coffee. I watched as my tears splashed on the floor of the elevator to join the grit that had formed from the coffee that Neji had thrown down earlier that morning, making little circles in the sticky mess.

And a pair of…shoes?

I blinked in surprise. I hadn't realized the elevator had stopped to let in a new passenger. My eyes traveled up from the pair of shoes, up the long, graceful legs, his muscular abdomen, and finally the face of Neji Hyuuga, who stood in front of me, surprised. In his hands, he held my chocolate mousse cake.

His gaze traveled along my face, lingering on the tears that trailed down my cheeks and off my chin, and he said quietly, voice laced with ambiguity, "Are…you alright…?"

And that struck me like a gong in my chest. I dropped the coffee from my shaking fingers, letting it spill on the floor to join its earlier brother, reached forwards to grab the cake out of his hands, and in a furious swoop I threw that, too, onto the ground. I faced him, tears flying off my face, and said in a fiery angst, "Stomp on it if you want to!"

He blinked at me, surprise, as I shook my head, growling through my tears, "I get it. I can tell now." I looked him straight in the eyes and said, "You pretend like you can see through anyone. But that's only because you're just blind."

His lips parted, eyes widened, but I didn't take the time to read his face. I just shoved past him and cried, "No matter how much I love you, you won't see it."

* * *

Meh. I've had a harsh time with my job. Also broke up with my girlfriend recently. Feeling better, but still shitty.  
So am I going to apologize for the late update? Again, no. I update when I want to. Also, longest chapter yet. You should be happy.


	11. Good Evening, Missis Hyuuga

It took until the next evening for what really happened to sink into my skin, like a stick floating to the bottom of a river. My escapades with Mister Hyuuga had begun at 6:00 on a Monday morning that winter. And when spring rounded the corner, with its damp bite of rusty air and sunlight peeking through the tall cascades of silver buildings in an hour I wasn't accustomed to…it all ended.

I have always had a belligerence about myself that favored my fate greatly. I was a fighter, down to my flesh and bone. But the actions that I'd flung ourselves into, the flight we'd taken together, came to a crashing halt.

I knew there wouldn't be an indemnity on our relationship's term. I wasn't even aware what our status was at that point. All I knew was that I'd ruined it.

So the next day, after working in dreadfully lonesome hours, as Kin didn't show up and Hinata was too busy to speak, I had a completely opposite opinion than what I'd concluded the day I met Mister Hyuuga; I decided I wasn't worth even a casual side glance.

But at the end of the day, something unexpected happened. Because when, by chance, he entered the elevator mere moments after I did, he unexpectedly, unexplainably, and somewhat beautifully, smiled in my direction.

Oh, I was in Hell.

**Hellevator  
…by mara**

I was shocked by the smile, I'll admit. It wasn't that I was expecting a sort of incivility from him, even after yesterday's coffee incident. But nonetheless, I wasn't waiting for this sudden, warm compassion that was sweeping from his demeanor.

For him to look so cheerful, while I felt so exhausted and upset, was not only strange to me, but a bit of a heart breaker.

So I turned my head away, unable to smile back even if I wanted to.

But he wasn't intent on ending the connection right there, it seemed. For he asked, with genuine concern in his voice, "Are you alright?"

I couldn't bring myself to talk, feeling so tired it was as if my lips were numb. So I simply shrugged, feeling that was ambiguous enough a symbol to express to him not only his answer, but the message that I didn't want to speak.

And then, I heard what sounded like music. My heart swooped slightly when I realized it was Neji's voice, laughing. He sounded happy. Serene. Beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous.

My eyes burned and I blinked them heavily three times, trying to keep the stinging tears at bay, and as I did so Neji said, "It's not like you to be so silent."

I didn't reply, only stared down at the tips of my shoes, though I could feel his gaze on me, staring at me. "You're not looking at me," he observed unnecessarily, his tone lowering slightly.

He heaved a sigh, and I heard him shifting his feet next to me. "That reminds me," he said almost nostalgically. "I was like that too when we first met. The truth is, and this is an honesty which I'll admit I have been blatantly and foolishly hiding from you: I was just afraid to look at you. You had such a personality, and next to you I was worried I'd just be bland and colorless. But you gave me life, you see." Yet again he laughed his beautiful, musical laugh, and said calmly, "I guess you have enough personality for the both of us."

Listening to him speak hurt and healed at the same time. I could barely register the words, but the sound of his voice made me feel numb. And it terrified me.

So when the elevator shuddered to a halt, I grasped my bags to myself tightly and made for the door…

But Neji was there, standing in the way. The door jerked forward and shut again impatiently, but he ignored it, holding his hand against it, making sure it wouldn't close. I felt flustered, unsure of what to do. Unable to look him in the eyes. "Tenten…" he said slowly.

"Let me out, please, Mister Hyuuga," was all I said.

"This isn't your floor."

"I want to leave." I couldn't look at him, my voice was tiny and so unlike myself.

Neji took a step forward, but the doors slid shut behind him, barring my exit, and the elevator continued on its journey upward. I inhaled and exhaled sharply, impatiently, and said dryly, "What do you want from me?"

"May I simply ask you a question, Tenten?"

I glanced at him, briefly enough to let his eyes linger in my gaze as I turned away shortly, debating my answer. He frowned and said, "You don't have to answer it. I'd just like to know. I'll leave you alone afterwards if you'd like, you have my word. Just let me ask this one thing."

I heaved a sigh. My floor was approaching. I had time enough to answer his question, but only that, and then I'd have the relief of leaving. "Fine," I said shortly.

"What is something you've always wanted all your life, more than anything, the only thing that can make you happy?"

I blinked, and finally turned my head to look directly at him. He was gazing at me, unblinking, his gaze absolutely ferocious. A fire was there that wasn't there before…

…before he met me…

My lips opened, and I spoke without thinking: "You."

As the elevator halted once more, he smiled. "Well that's easy." I was so enchanted by that smile, that I barely noticed him taking my hand. "I can give that to you."

And the elevator doors opened with a small _Ding!_ as he kissed my hand, then looked up into my eyes with a gleaming smile as he said, making my heart turn and my lips twist into a grin, and my life burn with a warmth that I'd missed forever:

"Good Evening, Missis Hyuuga."

And it began once again.

**The End**

**Dear Anonymous Reviewer naash:** I'm a woman. And I'm guessing you've never heard of a lesbian before. Welcome to the 21'st century.

**Dear Anonymous Reviewer ficcrazy:** I update when I want to, not when you want me to. If you'd bother to read the notes, you'd find that I have things that get in the way of this story that are far more important. In other words, your impatience does not matter to me. If you can't handle that, go fap on a toilet seat.

**I give my thanks to all reviewers**, I'm very glad you've enjoyed the story, and I hope you're content with its conclusion, of course even if you're not, I don't care. ;) Have a good Thanksgiving, and be safe.


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